One Half a Wing and a Prayer Clean version
by Tirsis
Summary: Ranma takes the plunge, and comes out with a pair of leather wings. Now the boy with no idea of how to deal with women is a sucubuss. Good luck, buddy.
1. Breaking China

Author's Note: Ranma and friends were created by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I do not own, rent, or lease them. This was written purely for the entertainment of all of the Ranma fans out there. This work may contain material of a sexual nature, only those 21 and older are legally allowed to read, so check the ID's at the door.

P.S.: for Janice.

The training ground was nothing special, that is until a giant panda leaped from the pool that Ranma had just knocked his father into. He heard the guide yell something up at them, but was on alert as the panda leaped at him. Ranma was expecting a savage claw swipe, or an attempt to bite at him, but the snap kick to his chest came as a surprise and his guard was out of place.

As Ranma fell he berated himself. A wild animal had just used a Saotome School jump kick and he had let it, but how could a panda know the Sao…SPLASH.

He was under water, but fire burned through his body. Every muscle tightened, every hair stood on end. He tried to move, to propel himself upward, but something slowed him and added drag to his swimming. After what seemed like an eternity he broke the surface and took in a much needed lungful of air.

"Oh, too bad sir. You fall in Spring Drowned Gir…"

The guide stopped in mid explanation as a pair of black leather wings spread out behind the poor young boy turned girl.

"Aiya. That new."

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 1

Breaking China

Ranma looked into the mirror that the guide had in his cottage at the new body he, or rather she, had been given only a day ago. It was definitely female, about half a head shorter, had red hair instead of black, and did we mention it was definitely female. Ranma was in a great deal of shock over that first and last bit, she had just finished chasing her father-turned-panda all around the area and had beaten him to a pulp.

It was during this chase that Ranma had finally noticed her two new appendages, her wings. The fat panda had jumped off a small cliff to avoid the still unbalanced girl, and she had jumped to catch him on the way down. She fell considerably slower however, and could _feel_ how the air was moving around her.

Ranma thought back to the joy of that first, clumsy swoop. She had seen one of her wingtips out of the corner of her eye and quickly lost focus on where she was going.

"Stupid tree."

The crash itself was not as painful as Ranma would have thought, but the new shock of seeing the wings that had ripped through what was left of her gi nearly drove her over the edge. It had taken her two hours to calm down and slowly make her way back to the cottage.

The Saotomes were shown that hot water would reverse the curse, but cold water would bring it back.

"You sir," the guide pointed to Genma, "Fall in Spring Drowned Panda. Tragic story of panda that drawn in spring one thousand years ago." Genma Saotome seemed nonplused at this and simply waited for the other shoe to drop.

The guide turned to the now male Ranma and said, "You sir fall in Spring Drowned Girl, I think."

Ranma growled, "What do ya mean ya think? How come I got those wings sticking out my back?"

"I not know. This not ever happen in fifteen hundred year that Spring Drowned Girl exist." The guide sat back and took a long pull on his pipe. "Best thing now is send for wise elder from nearby tribe. Is Amazons that know much Jusenkyo lore. She maybe help you sirs."

"We do not need the help of some weak old woman. My son and I have been afflicted with something, yes, but I doubt a woman has the power to help us."

Ranma looked at his father with ill concealed contempt. "How about you get stuffed old man. I got freaking wings on my back and want to know what the hell is going on." He took a deep breath and continued, "You may be able to pass as a pet panda, but there is no way I'll be able to go out without people thinking I'm a monster or something."

"That is because your new body is a monster, child." Ranma and Genma spun around to see …a hairy prune with a big stick hop through the window. "I am Cologne, Matriarch of the Amazons"

The guide bowed respectfully, "I glad you here Elder. This one fall in Spring Drowned Girl, but is not just girl."

The strange Amazon, a very old woman now that Ranma had a better look, nodded sagely and considered the young man. Ranma looked to his father and saw scorn coming from his eyes. He looked to the old woman and saw…she was waiting for something.

"You said I'm a monster, what do you…"

"Enough of this nonsense!" Genma stood and stormed over to the Elder and proudly exclaimed, "My son will not be bothered with this talk of monsters and amazons. The very idea is absurd."

In less then a heartbeat, Genma found himself through the window, and airborne heading towards a boulder. "Me and my big mouth."

Back in the cottage Cologne commented, "I hardly have the patience to teach one child, let alone two." Ranma turned from the window to the old Amazon, his face turning from amazement to a smirk.

"I wish I thought of that."

"Now then," Cologne continued, "show me the curse form."

The guide handed Ranma a glass of water, and at a gesture from the old woman left the room. She nodded to Ranma, who emptied the glass over his head. He felt his body shift, losing height, shifting anatomy. He thought the process would seem painful, considering the drastic changes, but all he felt was a slight tingle. After only a heartbeat the transformation was done, then she felt her wings once more push through her torn gi and spread wide. Once the wings had finished, Ranma took a moment to see how they moved as the Amazon Elder watched on.

"Can I get rid of this?"

Cologne sadly shook her head, "The curse you have received is a special one. It contains special magic of its own that will make you immune to almost any cure I can think of. I am sorry, child."

Ranma looked to be on the verge of tears, "So I'm stuck as a monster for the rest of my life."

"No, child, you are only a demon in form. A monster is one who has given up on all that makes them human, have you done that?"

"No."

Cologne nodded, "Good. As for your new form, you will find it to be very interesting. How do you feel physically, young one."

Ranma slowly stood and began a kata. Cologne waited, seeing the girl was taking the question seriously. She watched as the girl flowed through several forms, increasing her speed as she moved. It was a graceful dance that incorporated kicks, punches and blocks in rapid succession. After a moment Cologne saw the redhead's wings begin to mimic the movements, moving to block, balance, and strike. The kata moved to advanced forms and showed even greater speed and power.

_This child is a prodigy_, thought Cologne.

Soon the kata ended with Ranma in a guard position, her wings swept forwards to block her periphery. "That was incredible, but it felt weird."

"How so, child?"

Ranma sat down and considered her wings, watching them out of the corner of her eye. "It's like I already know how to use them. I could feel them move with me, and how they affected my balance. It was so weird."

Cologne nodded, "Let me tell you about something that happened many years ago. A young girl stumbled across our village at the time, she was beaten, bleeding, and near death. Our best healers spent the next two days tending to her, and slowly discovered what had happened. The girl was from a distant land, fleeing from the evils of her birth family. She wandered into this part of the world and was taken as a slave of the Musk, the ancient enemy of the Amazon tribe. Once she was healed, the elders of the time saw that she had great inner strength, and offered her a place in the tribe. For several years the girl lived among us as a sister, friend, and comrade." Cologne paused and sighed. "Then came our greatest shame."

"It was during a fierce battle with the Musk. Our warriors had been greatly out maneuvered, and only a handful remained to face hundreds of the enemy. In desperation, the girl let loose with power that she had held back since joining our tribe. The Musk were driven off or killed, and the Amazons saved, but the powers were demonic and feared by the tribe. For the crime of being born a demon, she was cast out and hunted. She never fought back, even though we betrayed her for nothing. She was chased to the very pool you fell in, and struck down."

Ranma asked, "How could they do that? She saved them. That was just stupid."

"I know boy, but rest assured we were punished. Her spirit placed a new curse on that pool. 'When the time is right and a true warrior is found, treat her better then you did me, for she will ether be your savior, or my revenge.' Since then, my family has been charged with finding that warrior. In five hundred years, we have found no one worthy, but now you bare the mark. Your wings are her wings."

Ranma looked confused, "So what does that mean?"

"It is a blessing and a curse," Cologne said. Ranma groaned at this, but Cologne continued, "We did not think a mere male would be the chosen one, and this will complicate matters. But none the less, it is up to me to see to you."

"You still ain't answered me," Ranma growled out, "What am I?"

"A being with the soul of a human, and the body of a sex demon."

"A WHAT!?!?!" With that Ranma promptly passed out.

Hours had passed by the time Ranma regained consciousness. He was reverted to his male form and allowed to run through quick katas to try and find his center for the next round of explanations. Meanwhile, Genma had returned and was subdued by Cologne for a lecture of his own. The old woman went from annoyed to volcanic in minutes as Genma explained his world view to her. In as simple a way as possible, Cologne then explained to him the results of interfering in Ranma's new training and possible destiny. Ranma only heard a little of what Cologne threatened, and quickly moved as far away as possible. The poor Guide was not so lucky, heard more of this, and was forced to retire to the wash closet to violently empty his stomach.

Ranma saw his father walk out of the cottage later, looking more pale then his gi, and visibly trembling.

"Boy," he spoke to his son, "Listen to what the old woman has to tell you. I will meet you down the trail in a week."

"What's up, Pops?"

"I fear that I need to evaluate my options, Boy. Consider this another step on the path of a great martial artist." Genma then stumbled on his way, muttering about needing several stiff drinks.

Ranma blinked as he watched his father leave. This wasn't the first time Ranma had been left alone with a new master for training, but he knew that this was very, very different. During their travels he and his father had stayed at many shrines and temples, from that crazy monkey priest who kept trying to yank his ponytail, to the noble Shaolin Monks who his father kept trying to steal from. During all these visits Ranma had picked up a few basics of spiritual beliefs, all of which made clear that demons were evil and without a soul. Now here he was, cursed to turn into a demon, but he didn't feel evil. When he had changed, the only bad thing he felt like doing was beating the snot out of his father, but everyone he ever meet also felt like doing that.

He was a demon, a sex demon. Not that he knew anything about sex, only that it involved a girl somehow, and that his father thought that girls and sex would make a True Martial Artist weak. Then again, his father was a moron, or so everyone he ever met told him. And that old woman, Cologne, was a girl, and she had handed his father a beating in the blink of an eye.

Obviously something was going on around Ranma that he didn't understand. Now, Ranma was a genius at figuring things out in a fight, but his father had gone to great lengths to make sure that Ranma stayed ignorant of anything outside of martial arts. The few times Ranma had attended school were when a truancy officer caught him on his own. Ranma knew that he should know more, but he was trained to react, not think, and it was times like this that drove him nuts.

From his father he knew demons were evil and sex was weak. From Cologne, who he trusted more at the moment due to the fact that she had not yet tried to kill him in some stupid training exorcise, he knew that he turned into a sex demon that may be some kind of hero or something.

"Thinking, Boy?" Cologne asked from beside him. He had been so deep in thought he had not noticed her approach. After climbing down from the tree he had jumped into due to surprise he turned to her.

"I was, but it was going nowhere. I don't like this curse; I'm a guy, not a girl. And especially not a demon." Ranma's eyes shifted towards the sky, "But for a few seconds, I flew. The ultimate expression of the Saotome School of Mid-Air Combat, something not even my Pops can do. Plus I felt faster then ever, stronger too."

Cologne nodded, "You are in conflict between what you were, and what you have been changed into. Your father has a rather poor view of women, and I assume he passed that on to you?"

Ranma considered the miniature elder next to him, "He did, but I can tell you aren't weak."

"Good, then there is hope for you yet. Do not consider your new form weak in the least, for it possesses strength and powers beyond any ordinary person. As for the demon, remember it is the actions of the person that make them good or evil, not their form. Yes, you may have to endure some unwarranted bias against you by those who have closed minds, but remember that if you are strong willed, and brave of heart, you can persevere."

Ranma considered this and nodded. He liked the idea of being strong in mind, body and soul. But one matter remained.

"What do sex demons do anyway?"

Cologne blinked, sweatdropped and looked at the boy, "Do you know what sex is, young one?"

"It's bad?"

The old woman, with as much grace as she had, dropped face first to the ground in disbelief. Over the next few hours until dark, Cologne and Ranma had a very frank and enlightening discussion about the…ahem…ins and outs of sex. The whole experience was slowed considerably by Ranma almost fainting on several occasions, and losing a considerable amount of blood through his nose. He went to bed that night as red as the hair in his succubus form, and his mind dancing with more information about the human reproductive system than he wanted.

The next day, after waking up to a small, but uninterrupted breakfast, Ranma went through his morning katas while Cologne watched. Once he was in a deep state of concentration, Cologne used the tiniest amount of cold water to trigger the transformation without the boy noticing. For a moment Ranma lost his concentration and almost his balance.

"Keep focused," Cologne growled at the neo-demon-girl in her best instructor voice. Ranma snapped back to a ready stance and picked up her kata where she stumbled. Soon the forms returned to a graceful dance, unencumbered by the changes to her body.

As she came to an end, Cologne started speaking again, "You show a great deal of potential, young one. Tell me about your training, and do not leave anything out." Ranma sat across from her and told of the training, torture and abuse she had endured at the hands of her father. From training with masters across Asia, to the horrors of the Neko-ken, Ranma told of it all. She did not know why, but as she told the tale it felt as if a weight was being lifted off her shoulders.

When she commented on this, Cologne replied, "I saw the way your father acted when we first met yesterday. He struck me as a greedy fool that would do anything to achieve his goals." Ranma nodded with a smirk that spoke volumes on its own. "I decided that you would be on guard for duplicity, so I did something that is a little difficult for me. I concealed nothing."

"Why is that hard for you?"

Cologne looked down, "As a Matriarch of the Amazon tribe, I am under scrutiny by other Elders. They seek any weakness in me so the may take my position for their own. But that is another matter. My family is responsible for the treatment of the Chosen One, so I had to approach you, but the attitude of your father makes you cautious of an open hand. I chose to treat you as I would my own grandchild, with a trainer's hand, and a mother's heart."

"But you do want something from me," Ranma groused.

"Yes. I want to restore our honor, and if you truly are the savior that was told of, I can do so." Cologne waited for a response, but the redhead sitting with her seemed to take this in stride. This seemed to Cologne to be both a good and a bad thing. Ranma was willing to listen to her and seemed to understand honor, but the child was too willing to put up with something that could harm her. _Genma has much to answer for, breaking this child in such a way. I swear that she will leave us more confident in herself then this._

"For now, we need to explore the other aspects of your new form." Ranma blanched at this. "You can move easily on the ground, but it is time to learn what those wings are for."

"Just as long as I don't have to do any of that stuff we talked about last night," Ranma agreed.

Cologne stood and took on an instructor's tone, "There will come a time sooner or later when you will have to deal with that. Remember, your demon form does not use energy like your male half will. Food will provide no sustenance; water will not quench your thirst. Only release will recharge your energy in that form. Remember the exercise that I explained to you, and try that tonight in private if it will help you understand."

Ranma shuddered, by reluctantly nodded.

"Good. Now on to flying." At this, the redhead demon girl perked up. Cologne almost laughed at the eagerness that the child expressed from that small declaration. Cologne led her into the woods, and up to a large cliff that overlooked the valley. As they approached, Ranma streaked her arms above her head, allowing her back, and new wing roots, to flex and get ready.

Nether woman noticed a worn looking boy standing at the edge of the cliff who had just turned toward them. The bandana wearing young man saw the demoness' chest almost pop out of a much abused gi top. His eyes doubled in size and a burst of blood sprang forth from each nostril. The sudden loss of blood caused a flash of dizziness, and the enormous backpack he carried combined with this to overbalance him over the cliff edge. By the time the women reached the edge, there was no sign of the boy, not that it mattered to them.

"The best way to learn is to do," Cologne lectured, "And you have already shown an instinct when you use your wings. This will be no different."

"Moving to block in a kata is one thing, but jumping off a cliff and over those cursed pools is a little over the top, don't ya think?

"Not at all, you are like a young bird ready to leave the nest. All you must do is jump and let nature take its course. As for the pools, they have spent their curse on you, and the demon magic in your body will allow no more to be added. Besides, your school specializes in mid-air combat, or so you have bragged."

Ranma took this as a challenge and steeled her will to the task. Sizing up the cliff, she took several steps back and spread her wings. _A bird, huh? Well, I know I was able to glide before, so here it goes._ Ranma began a fast sprint to the edge of the cliff. In a heartbeat she was at the edge; where she felt a pang of fear at the sight of the valley far below her, but she did not, could not, let that stop her. She kicked off the edge and jumped into open air.

For a few feet, Ranma was carried on pure momentum, her martial arts training making her leap one of Olympic proportions; however gravity soon asserted its influence and she began to drop. It was only with a massive force of will that Ranma was able to remain calm, but even with that a scream was torn from her throat. The cliff face speed past her as she maneuvered her wings to find some purchase, some lift, to keep her from plowing face first into the fast approaching ground. Still screaming and falling towards the springs below, Ranma yelled to her self, _I WILL NOT FALL!_

Wings spread just a little further, back straining to bend away from the earth; Ranma saw detail in the ground. The grass rustling in the wind; the pools reflection of the midday sun; a small black piglet running into the tree line dragging a backpack; the Guide's cottage roof, and Cologne laughing on top of the cliff far below.

_Hold on a sec…_

Ranma looked around herself at open sky.

She whooped in joy as she passed the tree line behind Cologne and began a slow turn back. Slowly, in ever more daring attempts, Ranma turned, climbed and dove in the air around the valley. With each turn she grew more comfortable with her new ability, faltering and learning, but always recovering before touching the land. She felt freer the she had in all her memory, and as she dove in a manic pass close to Cologne, the Amazon Matriarch saw the first look of true joy from the airborne demon girl.

Ranma simply thought, _if I can do this, I don't give a crap about anything else this curse has done._ Soon she saw that Cologne was waving to her to return to the ground. Ranma nodded to her and began a slow swoop toward the top of the cliff. With only a few feet to spare Ranma's face turned from joy to horror. _How do I stop this now that I'm up here?_

"OH CRAP!!!"

She caught a leg on the edge of the cliff side, turning a stumbling landing into a spectacular face plant crash right at the feet of Cologne. The old woman looked down as Ranma spat out a mouthful of grass and started to chuckle. When Ranma shot her a look of indignation, she began to laugh.

"OK, so the landing needs a bit of work."

That caused Cologne to fall to the ground laughing her Amazon Elder butt off. The redhead looked on with annoyance, but soon found herself giggling as the old woman continued to laugh with the dignity of a four year old.

Ranma caught herself, _Guys don't giggle, but then again, guys can't fly like I just did. Am I a guy that turns into a girl, is it affecting my mind, or is it something else? I feel better then I ever have, but what is the cost?_ Cologne sensed the shift in Ranma's mood and collected herself.

"Well done, young one," she said, "but it is getting late, and we must return to the cottage. Tomorrow we will journey to the Amazon village where I will help you through the next phase of your training."

Ranma stood and dusted herself off, noticing the almost destroyed condition of her gi. With a sigh, she took off the top to see the total damage, uncaring of the exposure of her form. Cologne once again sighed and promised herself to teach the new young woman as much as she could in the next week. As for the gi, it was torn, tattered, stained, and had two large wing induced rips on its back.

"That's just peachy. I don't suppose I can get a new one in this village of yours?'

Cologne looked at the top and grunted, "I am sure something appropriate can be found." With that, the duo made their way down to the Guide's cottage.

As they entered the clearing, the Guide noticed their return, and blushed profusely at the uncovered chest of the redhead demoness, but at a stern look from Cologne he turned away. But he was not quick enough to avoid eye contact with Ranma.

As their eyes met, both felt a jolt. The guide felt a slight tiredness, while Ranma felt a little less sore from the day's workout. Cologne saw the outward signs of this and quickly ushered Ranma into the house, then in a few quick words of mandarin informed the Guide that should he enter the house that night, he would find a quick death. After the door had closed, Ranma shock her head.

Cologne guided her to the cot, "You felt it then, didn't you?"

"What was that, Granny?"

Cologne smiled inside at the new nickname, but remained stoic, "That is the nature of the beast within you now. What you felt was the power of his lust at seeing you unclothed. You were able to feed off of that feeling, and if you had a weaker spirit, you would have done more."

"Uhg, that's gross."

Cologne smirked, "Is it? Remember, you are female now. Can you picture sex with a boy your age, perhaps?"

Ranma thought about it, but the answer quickly came, "No way."

"Then, how about with another girl?"

"But we'd both be girls if I'm like this. That's wrong, right?"

Cologne shook her head, "Remember all that we talked about last night."

"I'm trying not to think about it at all," Ranma muttered under her breath. Cologne heard this though and whapped Ranma on the head with her staff.

"You are a creature of desire now, and to control your power, you need to understand it. There is nothing wrong with two of the same gender being together; only those who have hate in their hearts can come between the forces of the universe that bring people together."

Ranma gulped at the outburst, but saw that Cologne was being very serious. She forced down a full body blush and thought back to the topics of conversation the previous night.

"So that makes my girl half a Lebanese, right?"

Cologne fell once more to the ground at this and wondered if the child was brain damaged somehow. _Considering Ranma's father, that is a very real possibility._

"It is pronounced lesbian, my child. And you are correct, your girl half is lesbian. Your inner self, your core is essentially yang, or male dominated. To find fulfillment you will seek chi that is yin. These are universal forces and represent your true self." Cologne patted the confused looking child on the leg. "Do not worry about losing yourself to the curse," Ranma looked up at this, "I know it is what troubled you all day. You will find a way to adapt. I have already seen that you are good at this."

Cologne turned to the door, "I will leave you here tonight. I would like you to consider all that I have said, and if you are comfortable with it, practice the exercise that I explained to you. Good night, child."

"Good night, Granny." And with the closing of the door, Ranma was alone.

Ranma removed her gi pants, and saw that they were in no better shape then her top. Sighing, she tossed them into a corner and sat on the cot, finding her center and meditating on all that was said. She looked at it from many ways, and tried not to think of what her father would say about it. The more time she spent with Cologne, the more she saw of a woman who was not only strong, but stronger then her father. She thought about her new state, about all she had learned about sex, and about the feeling of power and freedom her new form allowed her. An hour passed before she moved to stand in front of a full length mirror that stood in one corner, no doubt for the use all the victims of the cursed springs only a few hundred yards away, to see their new forms.

She had to admit, even by her limited knowledge of the female form that she was good looking. Damn sexy if she tried. The red hair and wings gave her an exotic, almost erotic appearance. Her breasts were full and unhindered by gravity, and were capped with large dark pink nipples that stood erect as Ranma looked at herself in the mirror. Her stomach was defined and showed enough definition to enhance her appearance without being overly muscled. Her behind was well rounded and topped off a pair of long, smooth legs. And as she spread those legs, she saw the final piece of the package. A small delta of short red hair that led to a set of puffy lips that drew Ranma's eyes in.

Seeing all of herself in the mirror sent a shiver down Ranma's spine. She had never seen a girl naked before, and now this creature of extreme sexuality stood before her. In her mind she pictured herself as a male, approaching the nude redhead, the mere thought of contact made her shudder with desire.

_Can I do this? Do I want this? Can I resist this?_

She could only wonder as she began the first steps of her new 'training'. It was a new world of sensations that she could barely understand. As her experimentation continued she found new ways to find pleasure, and with each discovery she found a deep hunger within her more and more satisfied, but even at the end it still craved more.

Ranma lay panting a short time later, barely aware of her surroundings, the image of herself in the heights of passion burned into her mind. Slowly her vision returned from the white haze of post orgasmic bliss. She now knew that there was no turning back.

_First flight, then sex. The power, the freedom. _It was with this thought that she slowly drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Ranma awoke to the first light of day. Stretching on the cot, she thought of last nights activities. She slowly stood and looked over to the mirror.

She asked her reflection, "You really did it, didn't you?" Quietly she straightened her hair and mulled over the event, noticing that thinking about it caused less embarrassment then the previous day. _I'm adapting, just like the old woman said I would. I just hope I can hold on to me._ She turned and almost left the cottage, but noticed she was naked. Not wanting to cause more problems with the Guide, or anyone else she passed on the road, she gathered up the remains of her discarded clothes. Tearing each pants leg off, she made a pair of instant shorts, and used the legs as a makeshift top, tying them together and around her in a harness fashion, so they would cover her breasts while not interfering with the movement of her wings.

One last time, she looked into the mirror, and was surprised at the sight. Like a barbarian warrior, or ironically enough an Amazon, she stood as a cross between beauty and power. Her wings tucked behind her, her hands on her hips, all she could think about was some fantasy fan-boy back in one of the schools she had attended over the years falling all over themselves to bow and scrape at her feet, like some dark, perverse goddess.

_Careful there, Ranma. That almost sounds like you're enjoying this new form._

"Maybe I could."

She strode out of the cottage and saw Cologne waiting for her.

Cologne took in the new look and asked, "Are you ready to go, child?"

"Yeah, Granny. Let's get the show on the road."

To be continued.


	2. Lather, Rinse and Repeat

Author's Note: Ranma and friends were created by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I do not own, rent, or lease them. This was written purely for the entertainment of all of the Ranma fans out there. This work may contain material of a sexual nature, only those 21 and older are legally allowed to read, so check the ID's at the door.

P.S.: for Janice.

It had been two days of hard travel, but it was well worth it. Genma Saotome had finally found a bar. Sure, it was a hole in the wall tavern in a provincial town, but it had beer, and boy did he need one.

The past two days were a cycle of planning and scheming. He had to find a way to preserve what was left of his original plan, to train the boy to be the best, foist him off on one of the rich families he had encountered on his travels, and retire into the lap of luxury that a warrior of his stature deserved.

Now the boy had been turned into a weak little female demon, and taken away to be corrupted by some little demon gnome that had used some kind of magic to defeat him. The boy needed to be set back on the path of retirement…um…glory and honor.

Genma pulled a small notebook from his pack and began to study the various information within. Listings of engagements, contracts and agreements passed his eyes, along with the monetary potential of each family, and his personal ranking for the success of the ideas. He discarded a few after he remembered that he had already taken everything from them to further his great and noble quest.

Finally, he came to an entry about his old training partner, Soun Tendo. He had a large house, a full dojo, three daughters, and no weak little wife to guide him from the true path. The plan could be saved. The boy could be saved. All for the glory and honor of Genma Saotome's retirement, the most honorable of causes.

His own little world, folks.

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 2

Lather, Rinse and Repeat

Cologne was once again amazed at the ability of the young Ranma Saotome. The child was currently male, wearing a pair of torn shorts, and trying to improve his form even further. She had spent the two days in travel to the Amazon village teaching the boy the foundation of Amazon Wu-Shu, and he had absorbed it like a sponge, integrating the elementary moves into his own style. She knew that in a matter of years Ranma could easily surpass her in skill, but his true weakness would always be his paternally induced ignorance.

_Still, the child is a joy to teach, _the old woman mused.

During the journey, they had spent many hours talking about the world, and Ranma's place in it. His own views were heavily influenced towards his father's desires, and Cologne had spent the time arguing for a more liberal stance in life. Ranma's new cursed demon form was a large part of the debate.

Ranma was slowly beginning to understand the needs of a female sex demon, as several times during the trip, the redhead girl form of Ranma had wandered off for a little alone time, only to come back an hour later with softly glowing eyes. That was one of the reasons that he was currently male, the affects seemed to be greatly reduced in his fully human form.

The duo was rapidly approaching the village, however and Cologne was faced with a dilemma. Should she approach with an outsider male, who would be considered little better then a slave, or with an outsider female who would be seen as a threat, especially as a demon? She had told Ranma that he was a chosen champion of the Amazon tribe, but the story was old, and almost forgotten by many.

"What's on you mind, Granny?"

She looked up to see Ranma had noticed her distraction. She pointed down the trail and replied, "We are approaching my home, child, and I need you to resume your female form."

Ranma sighed, "Do I have to?" With a sharp look, Cologne answered his question. Ranma dejectedly poured a small amount of water from his canteen over his head, and quickly the transformation washed over him. He lost a few inches, and parts were exchanged; large, full breasts grew out and her hair faded from black to red. Finally a pair of black, leather wings emerged from her back, and the change was complete. Shaking a few stray water droplets from her hair, she retrieved her top, a covering harness that did not hinder her wings. Once adjusted, she gave a few experimental flaps and fumed silently.

It had driven her crazy over the last two days, that she still had trouble flying. Every landing she attempted had resulted in eating dirt, or taking an unexpected bath in a river, or becoming intimate with a tree. Her takeoffs were no better as she still needed to fling herself from a cliff, or treetop. She had vowed to herself to improve, but had made no progress. Especially with the distraction of her overcharged libido that needed attention every few hours.

"Remember, child," Cologne instructed, "Allow me to take the lead in the village. There will be many questions asked, and I will answer them. Because you are an outsider, you will be considered inferior at first, but I will give you the opportunity you will need to prove yourself."

"These laws of yours seem pretty stupid to me," Ranma said dismissively.

"I know that, but we have remained strong for three thousand years because of those laws, and you should respect that."

"Whatever. I just hope that I can hold on until we leave."

Cologne chuckled, "We'll be there for three days at least, Ranma."

"Oh, nuts."

With that the pair returned to the path, traversing the last mile to the village. As they approached, Ranma saw that it was something out of a fantasy story. No building was above two stories, and there were few of those. Warrior women stood watch in guard towers spaced along a wooden wall. To complete the image, a pair of guards, in full battle armor, stood at the gate.

The guards saw the duo approach and moved to challenge them, and Cologne replied in Mandarin. One warrior gestured toward Ranma with a spear, and asked a question, obviously about her wings. Ranma fought her instinct to drop into a ready stance as both guards tightened up at Cologne's answer.

There was suddenly a great deal of animosity in the air, but the old woman had told her to stand her ground. Ranma kept her face neutral and waited, evaluating the guards. Both were in good physical condition, and the way they moved their weapons meant that they were well trained. They also had soft curves, round hips, long legs…

_Whoa, Ranma. Don't get carried away. It's a long time till you can be male again, so keep control._ Ranma took a cleansing breath, and hoped that she had not been noticed. The Amazons were soon joined by a warrior with more elaborate armor, Ranma assumed to be in charge of the guards, and a new round of heated debate broke out.

After a few more minutes, Cologne turned to Ranma.

"We are being taken to the Counsel of Elders. It appears that I was correct in assuming our arrival would cause quite a stir."

"Lead on, Granny. After all, I don't think the nice girls with the sharp sticks are going to give me much choice." With that, they were led into the village. Ranma kept her wings folded as flat as possible, so as to draw less attention. But it seemed that the entire tribe had turned out to stare at the demon girl.

Ranma also kept her eyes forward, for every time she had turned to look back at the women gawking at her, she had seen one attractive Amazon after another, and she knew that she had only begun a battle of wills with her new nature.

_Not that this would be any easier if I was a guy,_ Ranma thought.

Soon they had come to a lodge, and upon entering, any arousal Ranma my have had was drained out of her. Before them sat four old women at a simple table, each as shriveled and pruned as Cologne. They turned to regard the pair, and Ranma felt once more as if she were being sized up.

Finally one of them spoke, "In deference to your guest, Matriarch, we shall speak in the barbarian language as you have requested."

Cologne nodded, "Thank you. I would like to introduce…"

"You have violated our law by bringing an outsider here," another Elder interrupted.

"Ranma Saotome was cursed at the springs, and was chosen. We must heed the prophecy and welcome her as part of the tribe."

"No, Cologne. The Chosen One will someday come from this tribe. An outsider can only be a fraud come to deceive us."

Another old woman added, "Besides, there is no way an uncivilized barbarian could be the Chosen One. Only we are worthy".

"Hey, wait a minute," Ranma growled out. Cologne raised her hand to quiet the irate redhead, but she continued, "I may not be the brightest person around, but I'm not living in a wood hut, pissing and moaning about the superiority of a tribe no one has ever heard of. But if you want the damn curse, why don't you go jump in that pool, you dried up old monkey!"

Cologne was torn between horror as Ranma had just signed her own death warrant, and laughing her butt off because of the way Ranma had just put the Elders in their place. Thinking quickly, before any of the others could outright kill the demon girl; Cologne had to revamp her shattered plan.

"Ranma challenges for a position in the tribe."

Ranma looked down at Cologne and blinked, "I what?"

"Quiet, child," Cologne whispered to her, "That outburst left me few options. Play along for now, and I'll see what I can do."

"What do I have to do?"

"You'll fight a champion chosen but the Counsel. I know you have skill, but you must win, or die."

"I should have stayed in my sleeping bag this morning."

The Elders had conferred amongst themselves while Ranma and Cologne had whispered to each other, and now turned back to the waiting duo.

"Let us proceed to the challenge log."

The old women stood and led the way out of the lodge. Ranma began to stretch as she walked, making sure she was ready for a fight. This was something she knew about, no politics, no emotional problems, and most of all, no sex.

The log was suspended about 5 feet off the ground by ropes so that it would swing. Ranma saw this would challenge the combatants to keep their balance during the fight, but her wings would give her an advantage there.

Before she jumped up Cologne told her, "If you fall, you lose, and that will lead to your death." Ranma nodded and gracefully leaped up to the top of the log. Once there she spread her wings and began to get a feel for how much swing the rope suspension allowed. The crowd that had followed her progress to the Elders once more gathered, and was soon cheering as one of their own jumped onto the log. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Cologne frown, and glare with ill hidden contempt at the other old women, who sat smugly next to her in the stands. Wondering what this was about, Ranma turned to see her opponent for the first time.

She was slightly taller then Ranma, and had long blue hair tired into two buns. Her body was hid by a silk pantsuit and brass breastplate, but the shape of the armor made Ranma realize that the girl across from her was as well endowed as she was. Her face was cute, with sparkling green eyes, narrowed in concentration, and a smirk on her small lips. Ranma found her focus drift again as she took in the exotic warrior standing only a few feet from her.

"You I kill."

Well that ruined the mood.

Ranma quickly ducked as the girl flashed forward with a pair of maces that appeared in her hands, and quickly had to block a follow up kick that felt like a ton of bricks.

_She's strong as an ox,_ Ranma groaned internally as she realized that playing defense would only get her pushed off the log. Quickly her wings came forward around her body as the girl swung again. As the last instant, the wings opened to reveal a snap kick that broke the girls grip on one of her maces. Ranma followed up with a series of quick punches that bought her breathing room, but did no real damage.

As Ranma pushed the blue hared girl back, she looked for an opening. Even with one mace, her opponent stood a solid ground, probing punches and kicks were deflected easily. Soon the heavy sphere was brought into play with a powerful jab at Ranma's midsection. She only had one way to go without retreating again, and that was up.

With a leap, Ranma reached for the sky as the mace passed beneath her. Billowing her wings to slow her fall, Ranma landed on the head of the mace, crouched and sent a straight kick to the temple of her opponent.

The blue haired girl reeled back, releasing her last weapon, and fought to regain her balance. Meanwhile, Ranma had jumped again and somersaulted over the Amazon, landing behind her. Quickly she dropped down and swept the Amazon's legs out from under her. Her opponent did not have time to fully recover and fell to the ground a short distance away. When she hit, the crowd went silent.

Ranma hopped down, finding that once more her wings allowed her to greatly soften her landing. She knelt to check the girl, who had been stunned by the fall. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that Cologne was fast approaching them, followed by the other Elders.

Quickly, the girl came around, took in her surroundings, and knew she had lost. Ranma saw a flash of anger in the girl's eyes, and then the beaten girl reached up and gently pulled Ranma towards her.

Ranma quickly guessed the girl's intention as the distance closed, _she's going to kiss my cheek!_ In less then an instant, Ranma evaluated her options, and decided to turn into the kiss and enjoy her first.

The girl had her eyes closed, but as soon as she came into contact with lips instead of cheek, they shot open to reveal her redhead opponent kissing her back. She was about to pull away when she heard a quiet moan from the other girl, and a slight tingle in her own lips.

Ranma was reviling in the new sensation of the most intimate contact she had ever experienced. With only the slightest touch of lips, she could almost taste the Amazon, and after a moment, she found the stunned girl had not pulled away. Soon both girls had gently opened their mouths, allowing the tips of their tongues to touch. Ranma felt a shudder as she could feel the girl shift from angry to aroused, and with that she felt the smallest flow of energy pass into her.

The sensation caused her head to swell as she realized that this was the power she had, the power of a succubus.

It all came to an end as Cologne cleared her throat.

"I'm sure you two would like to continue, but there are matters that need to be dealt with." The girls separated, both realizing the position they were in. Ranma desperately fought for control, mentally commanding her body to calm down. The blue haired girl next to her seemed confused as the Elders began yelling at her. Sensing that the girl was being berated for losing, Ranma stood and moved in front of her.

"If you old monkeys want to yell at her, you have to deal with me first."

Cologne moved between the two groups and snapped, "Enough! Ranma has proved she is a warrior, and by the conditions you all agreed to, that makes her a member of this tribe." Next she turned to the other girl, "What were you told about this match, granddaughter?"

Ranma stiffened at this, realizing the position that she had put Cologne in. Watching a student battle her own grandchild where death was on the line.

The blue haired girl kept her eyes on the ground as she spoke, "They tell Shampoo this outsider challenge. I kill outsider and win, or lose and give Kiss of Death."

"And she failed both, shaming herself as an Amazon," one of the Elders yelled out. Ranma began to move towards the old woman with the intent of maiming her, when Cologne was already there with a knife to the Councilwoman's neck.

"Speak like that again and I will correct the mistake I made allowing your mother to give birth to you." With that Cologne had made her intent clear to Ranma and switched to Mandarin. As she could no longer follow the chewing out that Cologne was delivering to the others, she turned back and knelt in front of the other girl.

"Shampoo, right? You were great up there, "she said. "I haven't been pushed like that for a while. Your defiance was excellent."

"But Shampoo still lose."

Ranma shook her head, "The only way to really improve is to fight someone stronger then you. I had to be good to beat you."

Shampoo seemed to consider that, and then looked Ranma in the eyes, "Why you kiss Shampoo?"

Ranma scratched the back of her head and nervously chuckled, "I thought you were going to kiss me, and you are kinda cute."

Shampoo blinked at this and took in the redhead kneeling in front of her. The tattered clothes did nothing to hide a figure that every Amazon would kill for, and she had fighting skills that contradicted her small frame. Throw in the open and honest smile that the girl gave her, which was a nice change from the wary eyes that the other warriors gave her. Being the granddaughter to the Matriarch, and the village champion meant that there was always someone looking to challenge her and take her position. But this girl, Ranma, seemed not to care about that. Add in that this girl may be the Chosen One that her grandmother had told her about in bedtime stories as a child, and Shampoo had to consider herself fortunate to be on Ranma's good side.

While the girls had introduced themselves, Cologne had reasserted her authority over the other Elders. Each old woman seethed over being publicly humiliated by the Matriarch and her new student, but knew that there was nothing they could do. The entire village had seen the combat, and the end result. The entire village had heard how they had told Shampoo to kill her opponent even if she lost, even though it was not allowed in an official trial to join the tribe.

The dishonor had made them criminals in the eyes of the entire village. The four old women were quickly led away by the guards, each contemplating new plans to get revenge on Cologne. Finally Cologne turned to the girls again.

"Now then, Ranma, I think I need to explain what was almost done, and then we will talk about what to do now. The both of you please follow." Cologne turned to leave, and Ranma helped Shampoo to her feet. The three returned to the lodge, now empty, where the incident had begun.

Sitting down at the head of the table, Cologne motioned the two girls to sit.

She began, "I must first apologize for what almost transpired out there."

Ranma shook her head, "There's stuff going on here that's way out of my field. You don't need to worry about things you had no control over. But what was that Kiss of Death thing Shampoo was talking about?"

"That is what I am apologizing for. In our tribe, an outsider female is considered an enemy, and if you are defeated by an enemy you are dishonored. The only way to remove the dishonor is to correct the mistake of not killing your enemy in the first place."

"Wait, I'm a guy, so this kiss don't apply to me, right?"

Shampoo looked wide eyed at Ranma for a moment, and turned to her grandmother. "Is true, Grandmother?"

"Yes Shampoo." With a squeal of joy Shampoo bounced into Ranma's lap and held her tight. Ranma flailed for a moment, unsure of what to do with a suddenly happy, very curvy, and grabby girl.

"Erk!"

Cologne chuckled at the redhead's discomfort, and waited for Ranma's attention again.

Ranma managed to gasp out, "What's with her?"

"Another part of our law states that a male that can defeat an Amazon warrior becomes her husband." Ranma's ponytail stood on end, and her face went pale. Cologne continued, "It is the only way to make sure our children will be strong warriors, both the mother and father must be powerful."

"And they called me barbaric," Ranma snorted.

"It has kept us alive for a very long time, child. Do not judge us unless you know more." Ranma looked Cologne square in the eye and made it clear with a look how she felt on the matter, but conceded the point with a nod. "Good. As to what you did, you were able to give me the time to defuse the situation and turn it around. What possessed you to kiss Shampoo back?"

Ranma blushed heavily and stuttered out, "I thought that she was going to kiss me and that she was…you know…lesserbin like me."

"You mean lesbian, Ranma," Cologne chuckled. Shampoo's head whipped from her grandmother to Ranma. Suddenly realizing where she was she shifted in Ranma's lap and looked her right in the eyes.

"You boy or girl, it no matter. You strong and beat Shampoo, and then spare Shampoo's life. If you husband, it make Shampoo happy, but Shampoo always owe you for standing up to Elders." With that Shampoo once again kissed Ranma, this time the kiss was gentle and expressed more warmth then Ranma had ever felt.

After a minute Shampoo broke the kiss and said, "Wo Ai Ni."

"You I love," Cologne translated for the confused looking Ranma. When the confused look failed to leave the child's face, Cologne chuckled once again. She then hopped off her chair and moved into a side room, saying "Ranma, I have some things here for you that are part of your legacy."

The two girls reluctantly untangled themselves and followed the only remaining Elder into the next room. Inside, Cologne was pulling out a small trunk, and unlocking it with a key that was hidden in her robes. She then opened it towards Ranma.

"These belonged to your predecessor." Ranma looked inside and found a pair of leather bracers. At Colognes nod, she picked up one and examined it. The top was plain leather, but the underside was a soft cloth, with a small gem woven into the surface.

Ranma asked, "What are these?"

"How do you think a demon passed as an Amazon for so long when she had wings? Those bracers allowed her to hide them so she could walk among people unnoticed." Ranma looked at the armbands in wonder, and slowly put them on. As she did, she felt a tingle, and almost seemed to remember something. Focusing inward, she tried to capture the fleeting sensation, and with a mental push at the boundary of her will, she found it.

Her wings folded along her back and vanished, leaving no trace of their presence. With a glance, she confirmed it had worked, and felt inside her mind once again. There was almost a mental switch that she sensed controlled the emergence of her wings, and with a tug she released it, allowing her wings to unfold from her back and spread out. Satisfied that this worked, Ranma once again hid her wings and bowed to Cologne.

"Thank you, Granny. This will make things a lot easier when I get back to Japan."

Shampoo stiffened, "When you leave for other place?"

Ranma saw concern in her eyes and softly answered, "A few days. The training trip my father took me on is almost over, and we're supposed to go home. But I think the old man has one or two stops in mind on the way."

_No doubt to fulfill some greed of his own, _Cologne thought to herself. Aloud she said, "Ranma will be here for a few days, Shampoo. That should allow you enough time to get to know each other." She noticed Ranma blush again and continued, "Ranma, I know that there is a lot for you to take in, but you are a part of this tribe now. I will not hold you to many things, but I ask you to consider your place here."

Ranma shrugged, "I know there's supposed to be some kind of big destiny for me, but I've also got to find my own path now. My father wants one thing, you want another, and I have to deal with a curse that turns me into a demon. That's a lot for one person to handle, don't ya think?"

Cologne laughed out loud, "That is true, son-in-law. But I have a feeling that you won't forget about us. For now, we will continue your training, with Shampoo as well." Shampoo looked startled at this but Cologne told her, "If you are going to stand beside a demon, you need to fight on her level."

The training for the rest of the afternoon was intense; as Ranma and Shampoo sparred for hours, listened to Cologne explain more of Amazon Wu-Shu. Shampoo was far ahead of Ranma in the style, but the redhead wove what she learned into her free flowing form enabling her to counter from unexpected angles.

Other warriors from the village watched the two girls train, having been impressed with their performance that morning. The spectators cheered them on during sparring, and conferred with Cologne as to the nature of the newest Amazon, and her training.

The two tired girls were then treated to a feast in honor of Ranma's acceptance into the tribe. During the meal, Cologne retold the tail of the Amazon demon that fell into the cursed springs so long ago, using a grander style and pantomime gestures for the larger audience. Since the story was told to the village in Mandarin, Shampoo quietly translated into Ranma's ear.

It was during this that Ranma noticed that she still felt hungry, even though she had eaten a large dinner at the feast. As the story progressed, the hunger grew. The need seemed to grow every time Shampoo whispered into her ear, causing her breath to play across the sensitive lobe.

Seeing that all attention was on Cologne, she turned to Shampoo to consider this, and in the light of the fire she saw the blue haired girl looking back at her. With no words spoken the two girls leaned in and once more touched lips. Soon, tongues were once more brought into play as both girls explored the other's mouth.

Ranma found herself drawn into the moment, and forced herself back before she was consumed by it.

"Shampoo, I don't know if it's me or the demon, but I need something from you, and I'm almost afraid to ask. Will you…"

Shampoo silenced her with another kiss, "Boy, girl, demon, it does not matter. Wo Ai Ni." She stood and took Ranma by the hand, leading her away from the town circle to a small hut a short distance away.

Once inside, and with the door closed, the girls kissed again. This time it was Shampoo that broke the kiss as she stepped back. With smooth motions she removed her breastplate and placed it on a nearby table. She then reached up and began to undo her top. With a tug, it landed on the floor and Shampoo smiled at the transfixed expression on her soon to be lover's face.

Ranma was still frozen as Shampoo moved in close, her hands dancing as they undid Ranma's own clothes, what little of them there were. After that the Amazon girl continued to lead the young demoness, both too the bed and beyond. But at some point during their union Ranma's new instincts began to surface, the redhead becoming more aggressive.

Shampoo looked up into the glowing eyes of her new lover and could almost feel the hunger herself, and let herself be driven by it.

Ranma continued her actions, falling into the lust until Shampoo's moans took on a new edge. Ranma felt great satisfaction from it, her hunger truly abating for the first time. Then suddenly a realization dawned on her.

_I'm feeding off of Shampoo. I'm draining her!_ Quickly Ranma stopped and checked on the other girl. Her brightly glowing eyes lighting the sweat soaked body under her, she felt for a pulse. After a moment of panic, she found it, weak, but steady. Sighing in relief, she lay down next to Shampoo and softly kissed her forehead.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"Do not be, child."

Ranma started at the quiet voice at the door and turned to see Cologne standing there. Before she could jump up, Cologne waved her to stay.

"Don't worry, I wasn't watching," she quietly chuckled. "I knew that this was going to happen. So did Shampoo. We both had faith that you would be able to control the beast within."

"Why did she risk herself like that," Ranma protested, "I could have drained her completely?"

"Because she loves you."

And with that, Cologne left the hut, closing the door.

Ranma lay back again and considered this, but was unable to fathom what kind of love led to this kind of risk.

Shampoo interrupted her thoughts by snuggling up against her. Ranma sighed, and drew the Amazon into a close embrace. She pulled the blanket over the two of them and drifted off to sleep, almost truly happy for the first time in her life.

Late that night, after the moon had set, a lone figure left the village. The old woman looked back with contempt and began to walk away, the spear she had taken from one of the knocked out guards used as a staff.

_So they believe a guardian demon had arrived, do they? I'll show them a true guardian demon, and when I return, the first thing I'll do with that power is kill Cologne for humiliating me. Then I'll destroy that fake and take my true place in destiny!_

With a mad chuckle the dishonored Elder of the Amazon tribe began the walk to the cursed springs of Jusenkyo.

To be continued.


	3. If at First You Don’t Succubus, Try, Try

Author's Note: Ranma and friends were created by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I do not own, rent, or lease them. This was written purely for the entertainment of all of the Ranma fans out there. This work may contain material of a sexual nature, only those 21 and older are legally allowed to read, so check the ID's at the door.

P.S.: for Janice.

Ranma coughed once more as the smoke from the fire filled her lungs. She crouched next to the campfire, contemplating the pile of chestnuts sitting in it, and scowling. She had managed to pull a few from the fire before her hands started to burn, which was an improvement over yesterday's attempt, but she was leaving in the morning to meet her father, and wanted to master this new technique. Her only real consolation is that her new lover, the Amazon warrior Shampoo, was doing no better.

With sparring, flight practice, and special instruction with the tribe Matriarch, Shampoo's grandmother Cologne, Ranma's short stay at the village had been some of the most intensive training she had experienced in quite some time, and she was ready to truly put a show on for her father when the two met up.

Oh, the whoopass was going to be glorious.

But right now she needed to focus on getting these stupid roasting chestnuts out of this stupid fire without getting herself burned. Once more she launched a series of blinding fast punches, her hands almost blurring. She had managed to retrieve a few more nuts this time, before the sleeves of her brand new red silk shirt caught fire.

As Ranma began to hop around waving her arms in a panic, Shampoo had to stop her own training so she could roll on the ground, laughing at the redhead's antics.

On a nearby stump, Cologne sat and commented, "Maybe we should get you a vest instead."

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 3

If at First You Don't Succubus, Try, Try Again

That night a shadow passed over the village, and alighted atop one of the huts on the outskirts. Quickly, the form slid into the darkened dwelling, and moved directly to a trunk in one corner. The form withdrew an ancient breastplate and loincloth, embossed with Amazon symbols. Once the form had donned the armor, it returned to the outside.

Carefully it watched for guards and moved into the center of the village, and used a small dagger to pin a piece of parchment to the challenge log. Then with a mighty leap, it lofted into the night.

Meanwhile, in the hut of the village champion, Shampoo, two young women found themselves once more nude and in each other's embrace. The mood was more somber then their previous encounters, as tomorrow would be a day of parting.

"It not fair," The taller, blue haired girl said quietly. "You find Shampoo, and we together. Why you leave now?"

"We've beaten this to death, Shampoo," Ranma sighed into the other girl's neck. "I have an obligation to finish my training with my father. I made a promise to him, and you know how I feel about my honor."

Shampoo giggled, "Is one reason why I like you so much."

"Besides," Ranma added, "as soon as we settle back in Japan, I'll send word to you. You are supposed to learn about the outside world for the new Council, right?" Shampoo nodded at this. "We'll see each other again in a few weeks."

"Shampoo trust Airen."

The two held each other in warm silence for a time, and when Ranma looked at the other girl again, Shampoo had a sneaky smile on her face.

"I know that look, Shampoo. What are you thinking?"

"Shampoo think you need going away gift." Removing herself from the redhead's embrace, Shampoo stood and walked to her table. She threw an extra swing of her hips in to distract Ranma from what she was doing, and as she turned, the other girl's eyes were riveted to the movement. As she returned to the cot, Ranma finally saw what she now held, a small canteen.

"What's that for?"

Shampoo quickly opened the container and splashed a small amount of warm water on the confused looking girl. Instantly Ranma's hair darkened as her body grew and shifted, assuming his natural birth form.

Now even more confused, Ranma stood and his lower, male voice whispered, "What was that for?"

"Shhh, Airen. Shampoo give you reason to look forward to meeting again." She pressed against him, giving him a passionate kiss, and then pushed him back down to sit on the edge of the cot.

As she knelt before him, Ranma stuttered out, "We shouldn't do this."

Shampoo giggled again, "We already do much more. Shampoo love redhead demon girl, but need to say goodbye to husband now."

What happened next took Ranma by surprise as Shampoo's head dipped downward. It was a new kind of feeling, far different then his experience with his other half. It was a dance of hands and mouth, teasing and touching.

And he had no idea how to deal with his wife's ministrations.

His demon side had come with instincts regarding intimacy, but now in his birth form he was without a guide. Now whispers of intuition in his mind, nor urges of the hunger from within.

That and Shampoo was completely short-circuiting his brain with what she was…

THUD.

The blue haired Amazon looked up form her work to see that Ranma had passed out, arms out to either side, and head resting off the opposite side of the bed. She stood slightly and saw a very big, stupid looking grin plastered on his face and his eyes rolled up in his head.

Shampoo held back a loud laugh at the sight and moved to straighten him out on the cot. Soon she cuddled up next to him and allowed him to drift off to a deeper sleep in her arms.

_Tonight I lie with my husband, _she thought, _and tomorrow I will see him off._

A single tear ran down her face as she joined Ranma in slumber.

The next morning it took Ranma three tries to wake up, due to the fact that as soon as he remembered what had happened last night, he passed right out again. Soon though, he was awake and enjoying the warmth of the blue haired goddess cuddled up to him. When she awoke, no words passed between them, just a single kiss.

They cleaned and dressed in silence, both realizing the weight of the day. Sitting down to the morning meal, Ranma lifted the mood a little with talk of the sights he had seen over the years. Shampoo seemed enthralled by the idea of a city. Thousands of people living together in one place seemed impossible to her as the only place she had known her whole life was the hidden village of the Amazons.

Halfway through Ranma's description of downtown Tokyo, a messenger knocked at the door. Shampoo spoke quickly with the girl as Ranma began to notice a commotion outside. He quickly splashed himself with a little cold milk from breakfast before the messenger saw a male in Shampoo's hut and went to the door.

She asked, "What's going on?"

Shampoo was reading a notice in Mandarin, and began to translate for Ranma, "The False One must be driven from the village, and the shadow of lies lifted from our kinswomen. I will come to reclaim my honor by destroying the demon at midday. Signed: Elder Enema." Shampoo crumpled the note and threw it to the ground in anger, "Is old Elder that escape after Ranma's arrival feast."

"She sounds like she's challenging me, but what's all this lies?"

Cologne walked up to the two girls and said, "I can answer that." She pointed to the challenge log in the center of the village and began, "Fifty years ago on that very log, I challenged for the position of Matriarch. There was a grand tournament, with many candidates among the most skilled warriors of our tribe. Enema was my final opponent, and I defeated her with a technique I had created myself. She claimed I had used dark sorcery, but the Council of Elders at the time overruled her. She never forgave me for the idea that I was stronger then her and has spent the last fifty years attempting to set the Council against me. You saw the results."

Shampoo asked, "But you are strong leader, Amazon people have prospered under you. Why does Elder Enema still hold grudge?"

Cologne lowered her head and replied, "The young and the old share one thing in common, the ability to be stubborn."

"So she's coming here to fight me to prove you were wrong," Ranma concluded.

"Yes, but I will not force you into this fight. This was my battle then, and I should finish it now."

"I don't think so, Granny. She said she was going to try and destroy me. That sounds like a direct challenge to me."

"You are not an Amazon, child. You need not fight our battles."

Ranma took Shampoo's hand and looked Cologne right in the eye, "You said I had married Shampoo. And I already fought for a position as a warrior in this tribe. The only reason I could was because of your legend about a demon girl, which I happen to be. Sounds like I am an Amazon, whether I planned to be or not."

Cologne looked at the two young people before her, and knew that she had made the right choice in allowing them to come together. Shampoo had shown Ranma love and affection without the abuse that she was used to. And Ranma was not only a lover, but a friend to Shampoo, something the girl needed as the rest of the village gave the granddaughter of the Matriarch a certain distance.

_An outsider and the Champion of the village, two perspectives come together. They very well could be the future of our people, if they survive the coming battle._

"I guess your departure will be delayed, my child," Cologne said.

Ranma smiled and replied, "Let the old man stew for a little while longer."

Soon the village was gathered around the challenge log, and talk was on the new redheaded Amazon perched on one of the supports. Ranma had donned her new Amazon attire, a pair of black silk pains with a red silk vest done up with wooden ties. Her wings were unfurled and folded along her back, ready to open and take her to the air at a moments notice.

The sun reached the top of the sky, and the gathered warriors became quiet. A shadow passed over the crowd, and as Cologne looked up, her breath caught. A young woman descended from the sky to land on the support post across from Ranma. She appeared to be in her teenage years with pale orange hair. She wore a ceremonial set of armor that all the Amazons knew as representing the greatest of warriors. Her otherwise beautiful form was marred by two factors.

One was her additional, inhuman features. The elongated arms that seemed to have some kind of ribbed membrane stretching from waist to body, a pair of pointed ears, and clawed feet and hands. The effect was that of a bat given the form of a human.

The other was the vicious scowl etched on her young face.

Cologne's eyes widened in realization and she pointed her staff at the newcomer. "Enema, you know well that it is against the laws to use Jusenkyo to reduce our age!"

"What do you know of our laws, betrayer," the girl-bat shouted back. "It matters not. Once I destroy this fraud and take my place as true Guardian of our ways, I shall cleanse the Amazons of weakness, such as you and your kin."

Across from her, Ranma slowly stood and allowed her wings to spread wide. She lifted her head, opened her eyes and made contact with her opponent.

"There are two reasons why thats not going to happen," Ranma said confidently. "You've lost touch with the people of this tribe; you can see it in their eyes." She then dropped into a fighting crouch and continued, "And Ranma Saotome never losses!"

Enema also found her stance and shouted, "TO THE DEATH!"

The combatants lunged at each other, meeting in mid air. Ranma quickly found that the transformed Elder was faster then she was when kick after kick needed to be blocked with little time to counter. After a full minute in the air, both landed on the log and renewed the engagement.

Ranma ducked in fast to try and take the offense, but a swipe from Enema's hand proved that the new claws were not just for show, as they drew blood from her exposed shoulder. Pulling back, Ranma tried a different approach, unleashing her newest technique.

"Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken!" In a flash over a hundred punches were aimed at Enema's midriff, and each one was blocked.

"Do you think to use such an old trick of Cologne's on me? I have long ago learned to counter all her moves!" Small cuts began appearing along Ranma's arms as the lightning fast punches met equally fast claws. Deciding that this was a losing gambit, she leaped into the air once more, landing on the support pillar. She was forced to jump even higher to avoid a raking blow to the face.

_If ever there was a time for this to work, _she thought, _it's now! _With a mighty heave of her back and wings, Ranma reached for sky. Much to her amazement and joy, she found herself gaining altitude, working her way up over the village. Unfortunately, when she looked down, she saw an enraged girl-bat hot on her heels. Ranma only had a few seconds to come up with a plan as the other girl flapped her arms to close the distance.

_Wait a second, that's it!_ Enema's wings were attached to her arms, while Ranma's grew out her back leaving her arms free in flight. _She's in my element now. But I still need to finish this soon._ She pushed herself further upwards, gaining as much sky as possible before her opponent caught up to her.

Almost a thousand feet in the air, the two met, twirling around each other. Ranma split her legs wide to avoid a jabbing kick and wrapped them around Enema. Enema tried to pull away, but was pinned to the redhead.

In a rage she snarled out, "I'll kill you, then Cologne, then that little spore you whored yourself to!"

Ranma grabbed the girl-bat's clawed hands in her own, pinning their arms together and growled back, "Saotome School Airborne Ultimate Attack…Demon Death Dive!" She then folded her own wings in.

The two airborne combatants began plummeting headfirst to the ground below. Enema redoubled her efforts to break free, but was held fast. She looked into the eyes of her opponent, and knew fear.

Ranma's blue eyes had turned a deep red and were glowing bright enough to see in the noonday sun.

"What are you doing?!"

In a cold voice Ranma replied, "Ending this."

For hundreds of feet, Ranma held tight, not giving the more experienced fighter an ounce of leverage. With only a few dozen feet left, Ranma spread her wings once more and released Enema with a head but for good measure. As she pulled up into a tight swoop almost touching the heads of the crowd, Enema plowed into the ground with a resounding crash and explosion of earth.

Ranma tried to pull back around to return to the battle, but found that she had expended far too much energy pulling up from the suicidal dive. Crashing into the nearby woods, she could only look on as she was unable to dodge a tree.

"Oh, crap."

Shampoo bounded into the woods after the erratically flying demon girl as Cologne inspected the damage done by the dramatic attack. Enema was still breathing, but was out cold, and had several broken bones across her body. She shook her head in resignation and ordered guards and a healer to look after the heavily wounded girl-bat.

Shampoo found Ranma who had run face first into a tree, her arms and legs wrapped around it due to momentum.

She went up to the redhead and asked, "Ranma OK?"

The tree hugging demon turned her head to face Shampoo and replied, "Koala."

Ranma then fell from the tree and passed out. Shampoo simply shrugged and picked up Ranma, carrying her back to the center of the village. After being placed on one of the benches, she was checked over by another healer, and aside from exhausting herself and slightly pulling her wing muscles, was found to be all right.

After a brief rest, Ranma awoke with her head in Shampoo's lap.

"I could get used to waking up like this," she said. Then she tried to stand, and swooned back into Shampoo's arms. "Then again, maybe not."

"That was quite the show, child," Cologne said from the far end of the bench. "Though you almost gave Shampoo and I a heart attack with that last stunt."

"Sorry, Granny, but I was running out of ideas." Ranma shuddered, "What was that anyway?"

Cologne looked at the ground and spoke with great sadness, "Enema used the Spring of Drowned Girl then she used the Spring of Drowned Bat to gain her new features. She believed that was what you had done."

"The springs mix? No wonder you didn't give me a chance to find a cure there." Ranma looked up and continued, "Not that it turned out at all bad."

Shampoo smiled down at the girl in her lap and said, "No, not bad at all."

Ranma turned back to Cologne, "So I won, right?"

"Indeed my child, but your opponent still lives. The match was to the death, what do you want done with her?"

Ranma shuddered; she knew that the warriors here took life and death very seriously. She also knew that she had to follow her own honor, even if it was in conflict with those around her.

"Let her live."

Cologne nodded, "I understand. She will be banished from the tribe, but unharmed by our warriors. Be warned though, she may not have taken this defeat well. But enough of that, you are tired and will need treatment. Shampoo will tend to you, and we will try leaving again in the morning." With that the old woman hopped off and headed once more for the prisoner's cages.

Her face went from content to angry as she got out of sight of the young couple. _How dare Enema drag those two into our personal feud like that!_ She entered the prisoner areas, and noted that the guard had been reinforced and looked alert. No more mistakes would be made. She first looked into the cages where the other disgraced Elders sat. By looking into their eyes, Cologne knew that none of them approved of what Enema had done.

One was even so bold as to stand and speak, "Matriarch, I will not plead my case to you, we both know that is worthless, but I assure you, we find Enema's actions a dishonor on the entire tribe."

"Her fate is decided," retorted Cologne, "when all is settled with that disaster, the tribe will determine what to do with you." She then walked on to then next area where the guards were even more prevalent. Soon she saw her old adversary, returned to her elderly state.

"So, the whelp is dead, and you dishonor me by imprisoning me again," smirked Enema from a cot. She lay with numerous splints and bandages holding her together, but still managed a sneer in Cologne's direction.

"Ranma won, you old fool," Cologne replied, "the only reason you are alive is because she spared you. Even now, she is in far better condition then you."

"You can't keep me here forever; you know I'll eventually recover to fight again."

"Perhaps," Cologne said and gathered herself, "But not as an Amazon. It is the judgment of the tribe, Champion, and Matriarch that you have caused unforgivable disgrace to fall on this village. You broke our sacred laws governing the use of Jusenkyo's waters. And you have attempted to overthrow the lawfully chosen Matriarch. The Matriarch voted for your death, the Champion voted likewise, as did the tribe. But you challenged an honored member of the tribe to mortal combat, and were spared. Therefore, Enema, your are exiled from this tribe for all time. You are no longer an Amazon."

Enema screamed in rage as Cologne marched away from her, but her broken body allowed her to do little else.

Cologne walked out into the village square, and saw that Shampoo had already taken Ranma back to their hut. She entered to check on them and saw Shampoo wrapping an unconscious and pale looking Ranma's hands.

"How is she, child?"

Shampoo responded, "Weak, she use up all energy in fight. Shampoo not know what to do."

"She used all that energy unconsciously deflecting Enema's strength; otherwise she would not have survived. But she is a succubus, and more energy is available to her," Cologne put her hand on Shampoo's shoulder to make her point clear. Shampoo nodded her understanding, and Cologne moved to leave, but briefly stopped and turned back. "You may not always be there when she needs this kind of energy, and the beast within her will always look for more pray. Can you live with that from your beloved?"

Shampoo thought about this for a moment and asked, "Grandma think Ranma love Shampoo?"

"She has had a life with little love, my granddaughter, so she may not yet know what love is, but I believe that there is a large place in her heart for you."

"Then Shampoo try. After all, Shampoo love Ranma."

Cologne nodded to the girl and left the hut, closing the door behind her. Shampoo began to undress herself and her wife. She took a moment to think about the amount of time the two had spent together, most of it nude, and knew that perhaps it was too early to call this love, or anything other then lust. But Ranma was kind, strong, honorable, and fiercely loyal, all things that Shampoo desired in a friend. If she could stay her friend, then perhaps love would follow. But for now, she had more important matters to attend to.

As Ranma was out cold, Shampoo tended to her delicately, hands roaming to make the demoness aware of her presence. Her actions were that of an attempt to arouse a loved one in an erotic manner, and Shampoo had gotten very good at this since first bedding her wife.

She continued until she heard a soft moan of pleasure from her partner, and looked up to see that Ranma was coming to.

The groggy redhead asked, "What's going on, Shampoo?"

"Shampoo need to give Airen energy. Ranma use too too much in battle."

"But what…"

"Quiet now," Shampoo said as she dragged herself up to plant a kiss on Ranma's lips. "Is time to feed, Airen."

Even if she had awoken, Ranma was still weak, so Shampoo became more active. The young warrior gave herself to the redhead beneath her, unabashedly and without restraint as she felt Ranma feed. Soon the redhead had consumed enough energy to become an active participant, and their coupling grew in intensity. Ranma fed, and balanced the razors edge of sating her hunger and harming her beloved.

Soon the hunger was quieted, and Ranma, now on top, gently lowered Shampoo into a comfortable position on the bed and sighed in contentment.

Ranma stretched her back, luxuriating in the afterglow of sex, and noticed all of her soreness was gone. She lifted her arm up and flexed her hand. She could feel that under the bandages her cuts had completely healed.

"Shampoo, check this out."

Shampoo used her remaining strength to inspect Ranma's hand, even going so far as to unwrap it. There was no sign of the claw marks Ranma had received that day. Shampoo then inspected the rest of Ranma's body, not a single cut or bruise remained.

"You use Shampoo's energy to heal yourself," Shampoo told the redhead. Ranma looked in amazement, and pulled her into another warm hug.

"Thank you," Ranma whispered into Shampoo's ear.

The other girl giggled back, "It my pleasure."

Soon both girls had once more drifted off into slumber.

The next morning found Ranma, Shampoo and Cologne leaving the village. The trio moved at high speed through the forest to make up for the lost day. Cologne set a demanding pace, and kept them high in the branches to continue training on the way. Ranma spent stretches of the trek in flight, learning to avoid sudden obstacles in a dense environment.

As the light faded from the sky, the trio slowed to camp, and by Colognes estimation they had made up the time and would reach the rendezvous with Ranma's father by late morning. Ranma had mixed feelings about the upcoming reunion, but put them to rest after a hug from Shampoo, and a reassurance from Cologne that the two would be together again as soon as possible.

The next day, the travelers came to the designated town on the outskirts of the province. After a few polite inquires by the Amazon Elder, they found Genma's location, and Ranma wished they hadn't. As far as jails go, it was fairly simple, an office for the local constable with a cell at the back.

"It's about time you got here, boy," Genma growled out at the sight of his son-turned-daughter. "Now tell this fool I've done nothing wrong and we can continue our journey."

Ranma pinched the bridge of her nose in disbelief. "You had to do it, didn't you, old man. The townsfolk told us you got plowed and tried to rob the bar two nights ago. Are you out of your mind?"

Ignoring her, Genma continued, "And why are you still in that disgraceful form. Have some pride, boy. You are an embarrassment to the entire Saotome clan."

Ranma smacked her forehead and yelled at him, "Give me one good reason to get you out you stupid pain in the ass."

"What will your fiancé think of you if you use that tone with your own, loving, father?"

Shampoo called out from the front of the office, "Actually, Shampoo agree with Ranma."

Genma did a double take at this and looked at Ranma, "What is this Chinese floozy you picked up talking about? Your fiancée is the daughter of an old training partner of mine by the name of Tendo."

_Oh boy, _Ranma turned to see Cologne holding a murderous looking Shampoo back. "Pops, that is my wife by Amazon law. And you better start telling me what the hell you are talking about, or I'll let her at you."

Genma coughed into his hand and solemnly spoke, "It was an arrangement from before the two of you were born. The two schools of Indiscriminate Grappling would be joined with the union of the two families that practice it, and they would become heir to both styles, the dojo, and lead the future of the school. This is a deep and grave honor you were chosen for."

Cologne looked at the man and commented, "I smell a rat."

"More like a wet panda," Ranma sighed. "You have any proof that this isn't just another one of your stupid ideas to try and kill me?"

"Oh the shame of it, my own son accusing me of any misdeed…"Genma saw Ranma's eyes fade from blue to red, and reconsidered his position. "It's in my pack. Third scroll case from the right with the clan crest stamped on it."

Ranma looked at the scroll after retrieving it and slumped. On it was a contract outlining an arranged marriage, along with the signatures and stamps of his father, and a Soun Tendo. She turned to the awaiting Amazons, and gave them a look of desperation and guilt.

"He's telling the truth."

Shampoo rushed over and hugged the smaller girl, both looking like they had been hit in the stomach. But before they could descend any further into depression, Cologne thumped her staff against the floor.

"Shampoo, Ranma, remember you are Amazons. I know you value honor, Ranma, but remember that you are also honor bound to Shampoo with a warrior's pledge. And Shampoo, we discussed this, and you told me that you would attempt to take on the role of the Chosen One's mate. Let this little man have his moment today, but we are Amazons, and we shall always prevail." Both girls stood a little taller after that.

Genma simply snorted in disgust at the display, but otherwise kept his peace.

Soon enough, Ranma and Cologne had pooled their rescores to pay Genma's fine, and the group had moved to the edge of town where they made ready to part ways.

"Shampoo already misses Airen," The Amazon girl said as they embraced.

"Wo Ai Ni, Shampoo," Ranma replied, then kissed the taller girl. "See you soon." She then turned to Cologne and bowed, "Thank you for everything, Matriarch."

"Granny is fine, granddaughter," Cologne bowed back, and the two Amazons began to walk back to their village on the other side of the forest.

As the Saotomes began on their eastward journey to the coast Genma looked down at his transformed son.

"At least you clipped off those useless wings, boy."

"Want to bet, old man," Ranma asked with a grin. She shrugged and released the magic hiding her wings, allowing them to slip through the special hidden openings on the back of her red vest. With a flap, she was airborne and gaining speed. She soon turned back and swooped in low at her startled father.

Oh yes, the whoopass was glorious.

To be continued.


	4. Oh, We’re on the Road to Nerima

Author's Note: Ranma and friends were created by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I do not own, rent, or lease them. This was written purely for the entertainment of all of the Ranma fans out there. This work may contain material of a sexual nature, only those 21 and older are legally allowed to read, so check the ID's at the door.

P.S.: for Janice.

Over the Sea of Japan, Ranma wheeled about at several hundred feet enjoying the clear blue sky. She had to loop back every now and then to allow a waterlogged panda to keep up, but the range at which she could see her father from the air gave her a wide area to play in. And playing is exactly what she was doing.

Rolling twisting and turning, Ranma danced across the sky. Pushing herself high into the air, she tried again and again to touch the so distant clouds. She had spent a large amount of time in this endeavor in the last few days, but she had not pushed her limits, as she knew that an energy source for her new powers was distant now.

She swooped down and folded her wings, willing them to disappear as she dove into the water near her father. She surfaced and took in the swimming panda, clutching to a life preserver they had taken from a coastal fishing village.

"Gee Pops, this is a lot easier then the first time we crossed," Ranma chirped happily. The panda only growled in disagreement as he continued to swim with what felt like a ton of wet fur covering his bulky body.

Shifting to float on her back, Ranma took a quick swallow from her watertight canteen of fresh water and looked up into the sky, her new home. As she drifted along she spotted a pair of low flying aircraft pass over them at a thousand feet or so, and figured them to be closer to Japan. Tomorrow they would find dry land.

Meanwhile in the two JSDF fighters passing overhead, the pilots were reporting in.

"Control, we have no joy on your contact. It was probably a bird or something."

"Roger Kitsune three five," the radio replied, "Return to previous heading."

After a pause, Kitsune 36 called his wingman, "You didn't tell them about that flying girl we saw."

"No shit? Well you can tell them if you really want to. As far as I'm concerned, I saw no winged girl. I saw no swimming panda. And I'm asking for a three day pass when we get back, so I can just drink myself into forgetting today."

36 pondered this for a moment and called again, "There is not enough booze in the world, 35. But it sounds like a good plan to me."

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 4

Oh, We're on the Road to Nerima

Soun Tendo considered himself a calm man, contrary to what the neighbors, his daughters, and his friends said, and as he sat in the living room of his house staring at a postcard received only that morning, he showed his absolute calm by tearing up uncontrollably. The card was a message from the past, from a time of great torment and reward at the end of his long training under the founder of the Anything Goes School, and it bore the signature of his comrade of the time, Genma.

To say that Soun was happy to hear from his old friend was not entirely true, as Genma had led the duo into more then their fare share of trouble. But this was also the fruition of a plan to bring together the airborne and ground techniques of the school to create a form that would rival the old Master. In addition, Genma's son would marry one of his daughters, insuring every parent's dream that their family is taken care of.

He called out to each of his daughters, "Kasumi! Nabiki! Akane! Come here girls!"

From the kitchen, a voice called out, "Coming, Father."

A shout from upstairs also could be heard, "Be down in a few minutes!"

Out of the kitchen walked Kasumi, a tall, beautiful and mature brown haired girl, with a long conservative dress and apron on. Her face had a smile on it, but Soun avoided her eyes. He knew what he would see there, the same thing he saw in the mirror for the last ten years, loss.

"What is it, Father?"

"I have important news," he said. "Where is Akane? And what is keeping Nabiki?"

"Akane is out on her run, she'll be back in about ten minutes or so. As for Nabiki, she said she would be down soon."

"Please get her, Kasumi; this is a matter for the entire family."

Kasumi's smile dropped less then a millimeter, but became strained, "I'm sure she will be down, Father."

"This is very important," Soun stated, "so please make her hurry along."

"Yes, Father." She went to the stairs, but already knew what she would find. She reached Nabiki's room, and took a deep, cleansing breath. She reached out and knocked, calling, "Nabiki, Father wants us all downstairs now."

From inside came, "Is Akane back yet?

"No."

"Then I'll be done before she gets back, if I'm not interrupted anymore."

Kasumi sighed and leaned against the door, "You know how I feel about you doing that in the house."

"Damn it," a muffled growl came from in the room. Nabiki pulled open her door, almost causing Kasumi to fall inside. When she found her balance and turned around, Kasumi saw Nabiki standing in only a lacy blue bra and a pair of socks. Nabiki's school uniform had been tossed on the floor, and a blue thong was hanging from her desk lamp. Her undressed state and a small patch of matted down and moist pubic hair gave testimony to her activities.

"Oh, my," she gasped, blushing profusely.

"Now that you've ruined the mood," the shorthaired brunette growled, "I suppose I can hear what Dad wants now."

Kasumi gasped, "Nabiki put on some clothes this instant."

"Get over yourself, Sis. You're going to explode one of these days if you don't let your hair down a little." With that Nabiki slammed her door shut and went over to her desk to retrieve her panties. She cursed her over emotional father, ultra conservative sister, and life in general as she pulled them on and hopped over to her dresser. She had been having strange, erotic dreams over the last few nights. In each, she was given extreme pleasure by an unseen force, and had awoken with powerful orgasms each morning. It was to the point that the memories of the dream were interfering with her work at school. She had come home after classes and masturbated for the last three days straight.

She pulled on a tank top and a pair of high cut denim shorts and checked her self in the mirror. She knew she was a knockout, her large, heavy breasts were pushed up by the bra she wore, her butt nicely filling the worn shorts, her smile that of a cat stalking its prey. Theoretically, she could have anyone she wanted at school, or even outside school, but maintaining a steady income prohibited anything but an emotional ice wall around herself. She had pushed almost everyone away so that she could concentrate on making sure that her family was fed, Akane had bricks to smash, and have a little money left over for her own future.

_If Dad ever lets me leave this sinkhole, _she thought. With that she headed downstairs. Peeking into the living room, she saw her dad and Kasumi sitting at the low table, waiting. Before entering, she heard a crushing sound coming from behind the dojo, and diverted out to retrieve her other sister so they could get this over with.

She found Akane, as expected, smashing harmless cinderblocks to dust in an effort to ease her anger. The girl had always stood apart from her sisters, due to her interest in martial arts, and her long blue-black hair. Nabiki waited for another block to be put out of its misery, and made herself known.

"No wonder you can never find a date, Sis. You scare them all half to death."

Akane snorted, "So what do I care? Not everything revolves around boys, Nabiki."

_Time to push her buttons,_ Nabiki thought and continued, "Who said anything about boys?"

"Bah, that's gross. Don't be a pervert, leave that to all those boys out there."

Nabiki's smile faded slightly, but she beckoned her sister, "Come on, Dad wants us all inside for some big news." Soon the household was seated in the living room and three girls looked to their father, waiting.

"Girls," he began, "An old friend of mine, Genma Saotome, is coming here today. He will be staying with us for a time with his son, Ranma. As you know, I have been growing more concerned with your well being in the future."

_Bullshit, _thought Nabiki, _you haven't done anything for ten years._

"The Saotomes practice the sister school to the Tendo forms of Anything Goes, and an arrangement was made for a child from each family to wed and carry on both legacies." Soun nodded to himself and continued, "You will need a good man in the house after I'm gone."

"Father you are still young, there is no need to worry about that yet," Kasumi told him reassuringly.

Akane grunted, "That's not the point. Shouldn't we get some say as to who we marry? I'm not going to be stuck with someone just because you say so, Daddy."

Nabiki kept her mouth shut and let her sisters take the bulk of the argument. She didn't like this one bit either, but there was opportunity here. She could almost sense her father's nervousness and knew that there was more going on then just an outdated arranged marriage.

Finally she asked, "So what's Ranma like?"

"I have no idea."

The girls were rocked back at this and Nabiki drawled out, "No idea?"

"I've never met the young man." Nabiki felt the other shoe dropping as her father told her this, but she still felt like there was a third or fourth shoe somewhere above their heads. "He'll be here today, and then you can meet him for yourselves."

Meanwhile, outside, it had begun to rain, and a few blocks away a redhead girl and a panda were making their way to the Tendo residence. They were engaged in a running battle, the panda being the attacker for the most part, forcing the young, buxom girl towards the compound. The girl almost danced around the panda's attacks as she participated in a rather one sided argument.

"Three shines, a temple and a church. You just never quit trying to piss me off, do you?" She blocked a jump kick and leaped up to avoid the follow-through, and continued, "My powers ain't going anywhere just because you don't like them. As for the rest of this, I still say the whole thing sucks," she yelled at the furry aggressor. "Forcing me to marry someone here." She wove inside her bulky opponent's defense and delivered a lightning fast punch to the solar plexus, doubling him over. "I should go back to China and let you dangle in the breeze."

She turned and began to walk away, but in an instant the panda was up and whipping a small prayer strip of paper out of his pack. Using every bit of stealth he could muster, the panda snuck up and slapped the inscribed paper on the back of the girl's head. Instantly she stiffened and before passing out she roared, "I'll get you for that, old man!"

Knowing he had only a matter of moments, the panda scooped up the redhead and her pack, and turned back down the road. Before he began again, though, he noticed a large group of people had gathered to witness the incident. With a few loud growls he cleared the crowd and moved out before anyone thought to call the police.

In a matter of moments they came to a large walled property and entered at the gate. Moving to the door, the panda slid it open and walked in as if he was expected, and soon met a mustachioed man and a young girl. He grunted a greeting, and it was only after they began to run away did he realize they wouldn't understand a panda.

"That was brilliant, you moron," chuckled a now lucid Ranma from over his shoulder. The panda simply walked to the living room, still carrying a now struggling girl. "Knock it off Pops, you're scaring them shitless!"

The panda soon stopped in front of the four huddled Tendos, and planted the redhead girl in front of them.

Soun looked on for a moment and came to the dubious, but accurate conclusion, "Are you Ranma?"

"I'm Ranma Saotome, sorry about this," the now depressed looking girl answered.

Immediately she was gathered up into a monstrous hug by the Tendo man as he babbled out, "At last you're here, Son." Ranma's pigtail stood straight out at the hug, and Soun soon noticed something slightly out of place. Giving an experimental squeeze to the shorter form in front of him, he realized there were two soft protuberances pressing into his lower chest. Pushing the redhead back and releasing her, he took in the damp form of a girl in front of him.

Nabiki came forward and inspected the girl. "I may not be an expert, Daddy," she said and reached out to take hold of a silk covered breast, "But I do believe that this is a girl." She was about to let go when she felt a sudden pressure in her palm. Looking at the almost invisible smile on the other girl's face, she realized that the pressure was a nipple poking through the wet top.

"_More…"_

The single word echoed in her head and caused her to release the girl's breast and shoot upright. There was a loud crash behind her, and she recovered from the strange occurrence enough to turn around and see her father passed out on the floor.

When Soun came to, his daughters sat around him with unreadable expressions. He looked up at the now apparent female figure of Ranma and said, "Genma told me his son was a boy…"

Nabiki asked, "Does this look like a boy to you?" She groped Ranma again to emphasize the point, but was immediately reminded of the last time. She gave a slight squeeze to make sure the reaction was not just her imagination, and felt the rock hard nub of flesh under the red vest. For some strange reason she also felt loneliness, but didn't understand why.

Her introspective and slightly arousing moment was interrupted by Akane, "Knock it off Nabiki, she's our guest." Akane stood and took the newcomer's shoulder, "Hi, I'm Akane, want to be friends?"

"Uh…sure," Ranma replied uncertainly. Akane led the girl out to the dojo while Kasumi tended to their father, and Nabiki sat looking bothered.

Once in the dojo Akane called the girl over, "You practice kempo, right?"

"A little, But I took up Wu-Shu a few weeks ago," Ranma said.

"Then how about a little match?" Ranma looked at the girl funny and Akane continued, "Just for fun, I won't hurt you or anything."

Ranma continued to look at the girl funny, but entered a loose stance, "If you say so."

Akane entered an aggressive stance and charged the redhead, throwing a slow punch to test her opponent's reflexes. Instead of jumping back like she expected, Ranma only moved her head a few degrees and watched the fist sail by her. Akane saw that Ranma was not untrained and began to increase her tempo, but Ranma just continued to move the minimum amount to dodge out of the way. This continued for a few minutes while Akane became more and more frustrated at the indifference of her opponent.

Meanwhile Ranma was thinking, _oh my god, she is leaving herself open all over the place. I don't want to embarrass her, but a kid from the village could mop the floor with her._

A frustrated Akane finally shouted, "Come on, fight already!" She launched a vicious haymaker that would have caved in Ranma's skull, if she was anywhere near it. She was actually above Akane, in the middle of a tight summersault that landed her directly behind the girl. Akane whipped around, but hesitated when Ranma executed a faster then could be believed roundhouse kick that stopped less then an inch away from the frozen girl's nose.

Without even breathing heavy, Ranma said, "Never lose focus, and give up control to your emotions. Things like that can get you killed in a fight." She lowered the kick back to the ground and dropped her stance.

Akane marveled at how fast the girl had moved, but quickly regained her balance and laughed, "You're pretty good, but who fights to kill anymore? It's not the feudal era anymore."

Ranma smirked, "I was trained by warriors, that's all. I won't kill, myself, but I don't want to be killed either. If I'm aware of what can be done, I can avoid it."

"Sounds reasonable, if a little intense," Akane replied. "I'm just glad you're a girl."

"Huh?"

"Well, I'd hate to lose to a boy." With that she left and headed into the house, leaving a sad looking Ranma alone.

"Well, this is gonna be a short friendship…"

She left the dojo and looked into the house. Apparently his father had found some hot water and changed back, because he and Mr. Tendo were sitting there. Ranma also saw that both men had solemn looks and tears in their eyes, and figured that the story had been shared or at least part of it. She wanted no part of it and sat on the porch to watch the sunset.

"Ranma," the Kasumi said as she walked up to the girl, "You're all sweaty from your workout, and you were traveling in the rain. Why don't you head upstairs and take a bath."

Ranma gulped, "That's ok, I'm fine."

"Nonsense," The eldest Tendo girl insisted, and began scooting her upstairs.

Ranma finally relented and headed into the preparation area for the bath. After disrobing she took a self indulgent moment to admire herself in the mirror. She wondered if she should shave her pubic hair as her lover, Shampoo, had done, but decided that the small red patch at the joining of her legs was fine the way it was.

She moved into the bath area and washed herself before entering the tub, letting the warm water transform her once again into her male form. He then sat there and contemplated how to handle the rapidly deteriorating situation before it got out of control completely.

Downstairs, Kasumi found Nabiki leafing through an old catalog, "Can you go tell Akane that the bath is ready, and Ranma is already in."

Nabiki looked up and said, "Sure."

She closed the book and went upstairs, but before she went to Akane's room, she decided to stop in and ask the redheaded girl a question. Ducking into the bathroom, she noted that the door was unlocked, which was quickly remedied. She was about to knock on the inner door, when a sneaky idea entered her mind.

_I want to know what her reaction means, but why do I get that feeling again that there is another shoe still?_ She pushed the feeling out of her mind and disrobed, seeing the Ranma's clothes as she did so. Looking at them, she saw that the girl wore boxers with no bra. _Talk about butch. Maybe I'm right. _With that she grabbed a towel and boldly entered the other room, just as a male Ranma began to step out of the tub.

For a moment, there was no reaction, and then Nabiki saw the young man's penis grow rapidly erect, and felt her own nipples tighten at the sight. Ranma was also looking at the nude person in front of him, her large breasts, long legs and cute face. She was obviously an equal to his female form, or Shampoo's sexy body.

After a few minutes, both teens blushed and turned away. Nabiki forced her eyes up away from the young man's well defined tush and saw a familiar looking pigtail.

With disbelief in her voice, she asked, "Ranma?"

Once again she heard a soft echo in the back of her mind, _"Crap. Oh well…"_

"Yes."

She moved back to the door, "Wait five minutes and then come out, ok?"

"Sure."

She heard the sadness in his voice and closed the inner door, wishing that she had the nerve to stay in there to ask her new questions, but the temptation was too great and there were too many risks. Rapidly she dressed and left the bathroom. Once outside, she saw Akane heading towards her with a small pail of bath supplies. Knowing that this could mean disaster, Nabiki blocked the door as Akane approached.

Akane approached and asked, "Kasumi said that the bath was ready, why didn't you tell me?"

"I got sidetracked," Nabiki managed, "but your bath can wait. For now go down and get everyone to sit down again. Ranma has something to tell us about."

Akane looked at her weird, but Nabiki used her coldest expression, and the younger girl finally relented, "Whatever." With that, the dark haired girl stomped down the stairs.

The door slid open and Ranma quietly said, "Thanks, Nabiki."

"You owe me, Saotome, if that is who you are."

"I am Ranma," he growled, then caught himself, "Sorry about this."

She looked at the taller boy, and almost got caught in the deep blue eyes he shared with a shorter redhead girl. Somehow she knew that Ranma was telling the truth, but it was so unbelievable.

Nabiki motioned downstairs, "Come on, you've got some explaining to do."

"Do I have a choice?"

"No."

"Figures."

With that Nabiki led the way back down to the living room where the family had once more gathered, including a strange bald, fat man sitting across from her father. Ranma didn't even look surprised as he sat down next to the man, so Nabiki assumed that this would be part of the explanation.

Akane saw the boy and growled out, "Who's he, and how did he get upstairs?"

"Allow me to introduce you," her father began, "This is my old friend…"

"Genma Saotome," the gi wearing man stated. "And this is my son…"

The boy looked away and grunted out, "Ranma."

Akane and Kasumi looked shocked, but Genma noticed a waiting expression on the middle Tendo daughter's face, and wondered if this was a good or really bad thing.

Kasumi managed to ask, "Are you really her?"

"Hmmm," Genma started, "How do I explain this…I know." With that he quickly reached over to his son, and threw the young man outside into the koi pond in the Tendo's back yard. Out of the water surged the shorter redhead, once again drenched.

She shouted, "What the hell do you think you're doing!?"

Genma stood and turned to the boy turned girl, "Oh the shame of it all, my son throwing away his manhood at the slightest provocation."

"Shame?" Ranma shook and fired back, "Who got stuck bailing you out of jail four times this year alone. Who kept you from getting killed by a pissed off Amazon when you said women were useless?" The three girls' expressions hardened at that. "And then there was that time you tried to steal from that shrine in…" Genma drew a prayer strip from under his shirt and hit Ranma in the forehead, but she had seen it coming and kicked up a measure of pond water at him, instantly turning him into a panda.

"This won't hold me long, old fur-ball," the redhead snarled, and then keeled over. The panda grabbed the immobilized girl, growled, pointed upstairs and went to take another bath.

The shocked Tendos sat there and waited, and once again it was Kasumi who spoke first, "Why are you friends with those people, father?"

"They were not always like that. It happened during their stay in China." Soon a human Genma and male Ranma had rejoined the Tendos and began to tell the tale of the Jusenkyo Valley, and the cursed springs within.

Each girl took the story a different way. Kasumi looked on in sympathy, figuring that Ranma had suffered a massive blow to his self image. Nabiki sat contemplating what she had heard, fitting the pieces together like a puzzle, but she felt like she still didn't have the whole picture. Akane was disgusted with the whole thing, figuring the boy had jumped in just so he could find a way to peek at girls.

Soun simply stated, "The true horror of the legendary springs is now reveled."

Ranma laughed, "Are you kidding me?" Before he could continue, Genma pitched him once again into the pond.

"Be respectful, Boy. We are here for a reason!" He began to once more reach into his top for a prayer strip, but the girl interrupted the maneuver.

With a cry of 'Amaguriken' the girl ducked down and launched a sweeping punch that drew a quantity of water with it and nailed Genma square in the gut just as he transformed. The effect was as if Ranma had buried her fist six inches deeper in his stomach. The Panda gasped, and collapsed in pain.

Moving to defuse the situation, Soun grabbed a heating tea kettle from the kitchen and poured half over his old friend, "So when doused with hot water, you return to normal."

A gasping Genma replied, "It need not be that hot."

He spun around and tried to pour the rest over Ranma, but the girl dodged out of the way, "Hot water, not scalding!"

Soun chuckled and clasped Ranma on the shoulder, turning her to face the other girls, "Your problem isn't that bad. These are my daughters. Kasumi, age nineteen. Nabiki, she's seventeen. And that's Akane, sixteen. Pick one and she will be your fiancée."

The girls looked shocked at the declaration, and Kasumi was about to foist the half girl on Akane, when Ranma interrupted, "If I can, Mr. Tendo, I'd like to talk to your daughters in private for a moment."

Genma was about to disagree, but Soun countered by saying, "Of course, that is the proper way of doing things. Genma and I will be out in the dojo, celebrating the upcoming union of our families." He then dragged the still doubled over man out.

Ranma held up her hand to forestall a barrage of questions from the girls until the grownups were out of earshot. Then turned to them and began, "There are things you need to know still. Please hear me out."

Two of the girls were about to protest, when Nabiki said, "Of course we will. I figure that your father didn't want us to know something, and considering your curse, it has to be pretty big."

"A few things actually," Ranma said thankfully as she sat back down, "The first is that I'm only here due to the honor pact that my dad has with yours. If I had any choice, I'd be back in China."

Akane asked crossly, "Why not just go back then?"

Ranma looked at the girl funny again, "It's my honor. I don't have much, but I value it greatly."

"So you want to go back to find a cure," Kasumi concluded.

"No," Ranma answered. "There is no cure. My father refuses to acknowledge it, but I already have a wife in China." The girls were about to interrupt again, but Ranma cut them off, "I defeated her in a trial by combat that, according to Amazon laws, meant that she was my wife."

"Oh, come on," Akane growled, "That's so barbaric."

"She was the first person in my life that ever actually gave a shit about me, so I will not tolerate anything bad said about her," Ranma shot back, with a great deal of venom in her voice. "My honor is already torn in two directions; I don't need to be reminded of it." Akane sat back, seemingly put in her place. Ranma then calmed herself for a moment.

Nabiki waited a few more heartbeats then asked, "There's more, isn't there?"

Ranma nodded, "The springs have some other weird magic running around, and I wasn't just turned into a girl." With that, she slowly allowed her wings to unfurl from her back and spread them to full span. The Tendo girls gasped at the sight.

Nabiki spoke first this time, "That's why the prayer strip knocked you out, you were turned into a demon."

"Yes, but I still have my soul, so I don't need to kill to live or anything like that."

Akane was about to jump up and attack the demon, when Kasumi restrained her with a hand, "I do not like the idea of a demon in my house, but if this is a matter of honor for you I will allow it. But only if you swear that you are harmless and won't attack any of us."

Ranma looked at the eldest girl and nodded, "I'm in control, not a monster. I swear on my honor that I will not harm any of you. It's not in my nature to hurt innocent people; I try and follow the code of a martial artist."

Kasumi nodded and looked to the other girls, "Ranma has given her word, and she is a guest in this house. I expect you both to respect that."

Akane protested, "What about this engagement?"

"I'll handle that." The girls all turned to Nabiki in surprise, and she continued, "As long as you're here, I'll be your fiancée."

"Thank you, Nabiki," Ranma said with gratitude.

"But," Nabiki continued, "Your Amazon wife knows you're here with another woman, right?"

Ranma nodded, "According to Amazon law, a great warrior is allowed more then one wife. She agreed that because of the pledge between our families, she would consider a co-wife. Since she is the tribe champion, and her grandmother is the Matriarch, her decision carries a lot of weight with the tribe."

"And how do you feel about all this?"

"I have to do what my honor demands. And there are other concerns," Ranma said, and emphasized this by flapping her wings gently.

Akane looked at her sister, "You can't be serious?"

"Look, Sis, I know Ranma's in between a rock and a hard place with this. I figure that I'm the only one smart and sneaky enough to pull one over on his old man, and Ranma will owe me one for it. Besides, he and she are cute, and I'm always looking for new opportunities." She moved over to the redhead demon and extended a hand, "What say we take this as a challenge and see what happens?"

"I never back down from a challenge," Ranma said and shook the offered hand. The girls talked for a little time longer, Akane arguing against the whole idea and Kasumi looking for the middle ground, but after an hour, no one could come up with a better solution. Ranma and Nabiki went out to tell their fathers, and found the two men had opened a large bottle of rice wine and were halfway through it in celebration.

Ranma and Nabiki were cheered and praised by the adults, who had already began to drunkenly plan a ceremony, and the teenagers left them to pass out in the dojo. Nabiki led Ranma back into the house and upstairs to the end of the hall.

"This is the guest room," she said as she pulled open the door. Inside was a sparse room with a pair of futon mats on the floor. "Your dad and mine will probably sleep it off in the dojo, so you're on your own tonight."

"Thanks, for everything," Ranma looked up at the other girl, "I'm sorry for getting you into this."

Nabiki chuckled, "I got myself into this, and you, me, and your Amazon wife will figure a way out. Now get some sleep, I think we all need it." With that she turned and went back into her own room up the hall. Ranma watched her leave, noticing the slight swing of the hips that accentuated Nabiki's posterior.

Ranma shook herself and went into the guestroom, closing the door. She was trying not to get distracted by Nabiki's many female charms, especially since it seemed she had a long term plan, or an agenda. The fact that Nabiki was obviously smarter then her was slightly intimidating, but her smarts only added to her attractiveness. She was long legged and curved in all the right places, and reminded Ranma of Shampoo, and the few nights that they had spent together. She lay down, and with wings once more hidden, attempted to sleep.

Meanwhile, down the hall, Nabiki was undressing for the night. It had been quite an evening for her, first catching herself coming on to a strange girl, then seeing that girl changed into a well endowed young man. All of this ending in engaging herself to an already married aquatransexual. She was also wondering about the echoes in her head that she had been hearing. She was only slightly worried about the ramifications, after all her family seemed to revel in their emotional problems.

She left all that behind and concentrated on the sexy redhead and hunk of a man she was now attached to as she lay down on her bed. As a man, Ranma was shy and unsure around the girls, but as a girl, she had been more outgoing, especially when Nabiki had groped her the second time. Nabiki knew that Ranma's demon form was that of a western style sex demon, and figured the shorter girls reaction was due to the increased stimulation the contact caused, bringing that sensual nature out.

She let the fantasy take her, filling her with warmth. Her hands went about their business as the images in her mind intensified. But the intensity was not enough as it was. Fortunately Nabiki had a certain toy hidden under her bed for just such an event. And in a heartbeat her hand flashed to one side to grab the object from where she found it hovering next to her bed.

Due to the heat of the moment it took her a second to realize something was off.

"Wait a second," she said. She slowly began to go over the last few moments, and came to her sex toy floating in mid air. She ran over the memory again and again, but every time, it was floating without aid next to her bed. She looked at the floor and saw the open box that the dildo was kept in had been pulled out from under the bed and the lid thrown open.

She looked at the lid, not remembering pulling it off. She was so focused on the lid it took her a moment to react when it started to float up into the air. When she gasped in surprise and rocked back, it fell to the ground. In that instant it had almost felt like something had slipped through her fingers.

She pulled her legs up to rest her chin on her knees and starred at the far wall of her room, whispering quietly into the darkness, "What the hell is happening to me?"

To be continued.

Endnote: Thanks once again to those who have reviewed my story. As long as you, and my own redhead demon girlfriend, like it, I'll keep writing. I have the next two chapters planned out already, with many more after that, but I'm going to go at a slightly slower pace in writing them for a while, but only by a few days. Until next time, Make Mine Manga.


	5. Shakespeare in the Dork

Author's Note: Ranma and friends were created by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I do not own, rent, or lease them. This was written purely for the entertainment of all of the Ranma fans out there. This work may contain material of a sexual nature, only those 21 and older are legally allowed to read, so check the ID's at the door.

P.S.: for Janice.

The sun rose over the Tendo compound to find Ranma and Genma standing across from each other in the open yard. The two men squaring off, waiting for the other to move first. Suddenly, both leaped into the air and traded a series of kicks and punches, Genma's were brutally efficient, wile Ranma used fast and showy maneuvers. No sooner then the two had landed again, when they leaped once more, this time touching down near the koi pond in the middle of the yard.

"You're too slow, boy," Genma taunted and tried to sweep Ranma's legs.

Ranma jumped up and used his father's head as a pivot, landing behind him and answered, "You still haven't gotten past my defense, Pops. So how am I slow?"

Genma answered with a lightning finger strike towards Ranma's eye, distracting the boy away from a sucker punch that lifted Ranma off the ground and into the pond. Ranma splashed into the water and popped back up a redhead girl, with a scowl on her face.

"That was a cheap shot, old man," she complained.

Genma towered over the short girl and thundered, "There are no cheap shots in martial arts, Boy! Only a scared little girl ever gripes about unfairness in a fight!"

"I'll remember that," Ranma said, and swiftly sent a powerful kick up between Genma's legs. The bald man howled in pain and pitched forward into the pond, instantly filling it with black and white furred panda. Ranma hopped over him to where the Tendo girls were lightly applauding the take-down.

She shot at her father, "Better get out soon or the fish are gonna start beating the carp out of you."

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 5

Shakespeare in the Dork

Ranma looked at his father as if he had just grown a second head. The Saotomes had turned back to normal at Genma's insistence, and during breakfast he told his son that he would be attending school again.

"As long as we're here, you should get caught up, boy."

"Why do you even care," Ranma asked, "I thought you said that school was for losers?"

As Genma was about to protest Soun cut in, "If you are to inherit the dojo, my boy, you will need to know how to run a business."

"Besides," Nabiki said as she finished her meal and stood to leave, "I'm not going to let my fiancée be some dumb jock that doesn't know how to handle the real world. Think of it as a challenge."

Ranma smirked at her, "You know that I can't let that one go. Oh well, I'll give it a shot."

"Good," Nabiki turned and headed out, "Akane can show you to school, I have business to take care of before class. See you around."

Akane looked at Ranma and called to her sister, "Why don't you walk the pervert to school, Nabiki? After all, he is your fiancé."

"I don't tell you how to fight, you don't tell me how to make money," Nabiki called from the door as she left. Akane glared at Ranma and cursed her fate for being saddled with another boy.

"Come on, we'll be late."

The two left the house moments later, running down the street towards the center of the ward. As they traveled Akane kept shooting murderous glances at the pigtailed boy.

Finally, Ranma could put up with no more, "What's you problem?"

"You," She answered coldly, "I'm going to keep my eye on you so you never do anything perverted to my sister."

"Ok," Ranma snapped, "What the hell is wrong with you? I've done nothing to you, and I've gone out of my way not to make waves. I haven't even touched your sister and you're all over me with this crazy idea that I'm some kind of molester or something."

"You're a guy that turns into a monster, that's all I need to know. If you ever lay one perverted finger on her, I'll kill you myself," Akane stated confidently.

Ranma stopped and stepped in front of her, blocking her progress. "If I were really what you said I am, I'd kill you right now, and you already know that you couldn't stop me." His voice was cold, and Akane saw that he was dead serious. She was about to take an involuntary step back, when he turned away and started walking again. He continued, "You need to learn more about people before you judge them like that."

As they approached the school, Ranma saw a large group of boys equipped with almost every kind of sporting gear imaginable. Akane picked up speed as they came to the gate and began to charge.

Barreling in she yelled back at a surprised Ranma, "This is why I think all boys are perverts!" With that she was among them, striking out in all directions as the group of boys attacked her, each crying out a profession of love before they were knocked out with a barrage of punches and kicks.

Ranma leapt to the top of the school's wall to get a better look at the carnage. For each attacker that he saw Akane take down, two more jumped into the fray, but the numbers didn't hold for long. Jabs, kicks, and punches flew out and dropped each boy, still professing their love for the violent tornado in the middle of the melee.

"Hey, Ranma!" He looked upward to see that Nabiki had called out to him. "Get inside before you're late for homeroom!"

Ranma called up, "What about your sister?"

"Don't worry, this happens every morning!"

Ranma looked up at her in disbelief, but focused back on Akane as she finished up. He also saw one last boy in kendo garb waiting out of Akane's line of sight. _More like lurking,_ Ranma thought as the unknown boy made his move, throwing a rose at Akane, who caught it easily.

"Such a boorish lot these simpletons are," the boy began, "they who think their passion can match the fire of yonder Akane Tendo."

"Good morning, Upperclassman Kuno," Akane deadpanned, obviously expecting the flowery speech.

The kendoist nodded and assumed a fighting stance, "And now we battle, for if you defeat me, I shall date with you. And if I prevail, I shall allow you to date with me."

Ranma almost fell off the wall at this, and recovered by hopping down next to Akane. He asked, "Is this guy for real?"

Akane growled back, "Stay out of the way or you'll get hurt."

Kuno whipped his wooden sword in Ranma's direction and yelled out, "You are far too familiar with Akane Tendo. Who are you, peasant?"

"I'm…"

"Hold," Kuno interrupted, "Is it not customary to give one's own name first? Very well, I am Tatewaki Kuno, Captain of the Kendo Club and undefeated rising star of the high school fencing world. My noble peers, of which there are few, address me as the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High. Behold and tremble!" A crash of lightning could be heard in the distance.

Akane answered an unasked question from Ranma, "Yes, he always talks like that."

Ranma groaned, "I think I just threw up a little in my mouth."

"Knave!" Kuno had heard Ranma's declaration and charged. With a mighty leap, Ranma vaulted out of the way of the slash and landed in a combat crouch.

"What is your problem?!"

Kuno resumed a ready stance and faced the pigtailed boy, "You insult fair Akane by speaking to her unbidden, and compound your crime by insulting the noble scion of House Kuno. For such injustice you shall taste the sting of my mighty sword, wretch."

Ranma shrugged and calmly stated, "I am just staying at the Tendo place for a while, no need to get bent out of shape."

Kuno stiffened and growled out, "Staying at the Tendo's home?" Once more he charged Ranma, unleashing a murderous slice that could have gutted the young martial artist if he were still there. Ranma had seen the attack coming and was well into the air before it reached him.

In the air, Ranma called out, "I'm Ranma Saotome of the Saotome School of Indiscriminate Grappling." Landing, he tossed his book bag to Akane, "Hold this for a sec, ok?" He then took a wide stance and faced the enraged older boy, and added a cocky grin. "I accept your challenge."

"For hounding Akane Tendo, I shall smite thee!"

"I'm not hounding anybody. Are you even paying attention?"

"Silence!" Kuno shot forward and once again slashed at where Ranma was standing, his wooden blade crashing through the stone wall that was behind his target. Kuno pulled himself free and launched a series of quick swings, each of which Ranma avoided by leaping out of the way.

Finally Ranma charged in and was instantly inside Kuno's guard. But instead of attacking, he jabbed his finger in the older boy's chest and yelled, "I have nothing to do with Akane, I'm just keeping a stalking jerk like you away from her!"

"I can fight my own battles," Akane yelled and threw Ranma's bag at him. The boy jumped straight up and Kuno cut the bag in half with a single cut. Bringing his sword up in a guard position, he saw Ranma reaching the end of his ascent, and in that moment a bolt of lightning illuminated the background as the first few drops of rain fell to the ground. In less then a heartbeat, both combatants struck, both blows landing in the same instant.

A heartbeat after that, Kuno was knocked aside as a rain soaked panda charged through, scooping up a transforming Ranma, and disappearing from sight. Akane shrugged, kicked Kuno in the head for good measure and headed for class. Meanwhile, Nabiki had abandoned her viewing perch and raced out of the school building to find the girl and panda hiding in the gym supply shed. Quietly sliding in, Nabiki saw Ranma chewing out her father.

"Why did you stop me, old man? I had that dork on the ropes, and even transforming would have made it worse."

"Don't be too sure," Nabiki chirped behind Ranma, causing her to startle and jump slightly. "Check the neck." Ranma felt at her throat and found a bruise where the sword had almost grazed her on the last exchange.

She turned to Nabiki and simply said, "He's better then I thought." The panda next to her growled out a few grunts and pointed at the redhead. "I know, never underestimate your opponent. If you had heard the stuff this guy was saying, you'd have reacted the same way."

"Don't worry about it," Nabiki said, "I think you would have mopped the floor with him in either form."

Ranma stood a little straighter and smiled, "Thanks Nabiki."

"You're welcome. You can head back now Mister Saotome, I'll make sure that Ranma gets registered and set up." The panda growled an appreciative noise and headed out, leaving the two teens in the shed and heading to scout the local taverns.

"Don't worry about Kuno," Nabiki started, passing a towel to the damp girl, "He's a buffoon, and the whole school knows it."

"Then what was all that out there with the attack on Akane?"

Nabiki rolled her eyes and answered, "He has a thing for her, and she's the sweetheart of the school, so he conned all his potential competition into getting the crap beaten out of them every day in an effort to eliminate them, and wear her down enough to beat. She's managed to keep him at bay for now, but eventually she'll lose."

"Why doesn't anyone do anything about a coward and a creep like that?"

"Because the Kuno family owns a lot of political power, and gets away with just about anything in this district. For now, we need to take care of that bruise and get you changed and inside." Nabiki held up a kettle to show Ranma she had brought hot water for the transformation, but then there was another crash of lightning outside and the rain began to come down even harder. Nabiki looked outside and turned back to Ranma, "Or we could wait until the downpour ends."

"Shouldn't we get to class?"

Nabiki shook her head and sat down on one of the stacks of mats, "I know the office staff, and they'll understand if you are a little late getting registered due to the weather. And I'm usually doing business through first period."

Ranma sat on a stack opposite her and looked at the other girl, "What kind of business?"

"Information for the most part," Nabiki replied. "I handle everything from the likes and dislikes of people who are going to be asked out, to the odds of a pop quiz on a given day. Plus I have a rather extensive little betting pool floating around the school." She laughed softly and told the wet redhead, "You shook that one up quite a bit today, confronting Kuno like that."

For a few moments only the sound of heavy rain on the aluminum roof could be heard as the two girls sat. Ranma considered the older girl and wondered why a girl with such smarts had agreed to help her.

"Ranma," Nabiki quietly asked, "You're supernatural in that form and everything, right?" Ranma nodded and Nabiki continued, "Did you sense anything odd when you first arrived yesterday?"

Ranma smirked, "Would this be before or after you felt me up?"

Nabiki blushed and turned away, "Just answer the question please."

"I don't know. It's not like I got an instruction manual with this body. For the most part, it runs on instinct."

"Oh," Nabiki softly replied and looked Ranma in the eyes, "Could you try?"

"I suppose…but why?"

Nabiki stood and began to pace, "You aren't the first weird thing to happen to me. But since you have had this stuff happen to you, I think you may understand." She turned and looked at Ranma again, and Ranma could see a little fear in Nabiki's brown eyes. "For a little while now I've been having weird dreams, and lately other things have been happening. Impressions, mostly, but other things have been jumping into my head randomly. Yesterday I felt what you did when I groped you; I could almost hear you in my head."

"Is that why you agreed to be my fiancée?"

"In part," Nabiki admitted, "But I do understand what it's like to be stuck. And seeing you in the buff didn't hurt any."

Ranma hopped off the mats and stood in front to Nabiki, "Ok, I'll try and see if I can feel anything odd about you, but no promises." With that she allowed her wings to open up and position themselves comfortably along her back, and took Nabiki's hands in her own. Closing her eyes, Ranma attempted to push out and let her mind flow, trying every meditation trick she could remember. After a moment, she knew that something was missing and opened her eyes.

"I think I know a way, but you may not like it."

Nabiki looked at the worried girl and smiled, "Don't worry about that."

Both girls closed their eyes again, and Ranma moved forward into close proximity to Nabiki, guided by her demonic side to the taller girl's lips. The moment they touched, both girls felt a tingle run up and down their spines, and the kiss deepened without hesitation. As their tongues explored each other's mouths, Ranma began to taste Nabiki's energy, and almost immediately knew that it was different.

Meanwhile, Nabiki was having quite a different experience. As Ranma tugged her inner life force, she found herself flooded with Ranma's recent experiences. Visions of a heated battle with a strange harpy woman, an old woman that felt like a teacher and a blue haired girl spun around her. That girl stood prominently in the memories as a scene of lovemaking flashed into Nabiki's mind. The image overtook her and she found herself in Ranma's place in the memory as Shampoo tended to her.

Ranma felt Nabiki orgasm in her embrace, and experienced a small climax from the backwash, and broke off the kiss. As she did, Nabiki moaned out, "oh, Shampoo…" Ranma looked at the girl in shock, and the two slowly kneeled on the ground.

After letting Nabiki recover for a moment, Ranma asked, "What was that about?"

"Oh my god, Ranma, it was like I was there," Nabiki panted out. "I saw your wife, the village, everything. It all rushed in at once; including all the times you made love to her." She was hot, far too hot for her heavy school uniform, and began to pull the jumper style dress over her head. Next she laid back and yanked open her blouse, causing a button to pop off and fly into one of the shed's corners, and exposing her simple cotton bra and panties. Ranma sat, shocked at how quickly Nabiki had become aroused, then realized that all the memories of her activities with Shampoo were probably too much for the girl, and moved to check on her.

As Ranma came into view, Nabiki moaned and reached up to cup the demon's cheek, "You've hidden it so well, but I can feel it now. I know what your hunger feels like. I know what Shampoo tastes like. It's all inside my head, bursting to get out." Then the brown haired girl almost begged, "There's so much lust, please help me?"

Guilt washed over Ranma, but she knew that Nabiki was burning somehow with the combined heat of two people. She moved to embrace the besieged girl, pulling Nabiki into her lap and wrapping her wings around them both. She attempted to lightly kiss the girl, but was immediately drawn into a deep sucking kiss, and Ranma could taste the massive pressure in Nabiki's loins.

Ranma held back as much as she could, warring between her inexperience and embarrassment, and the demons craving for the sweet energy Nabiki was giving off. But despite the redhead's hesitancy Nabiki was adamant, and Ranma soon found herself entangled with the Tendo girl in the most intimate and carnal way.

Their dive was so intense that Nabiki's powers continued to feed back on themselves, and pulled by Ranma's own abilities reached out to another that the demoness had been with in such an intense manner. A continent away it found it's target and raw lust and pleasure exploded into a young Amazon's head. When it finally subsided, Shampoo laid on the ground gasping, and as the last wisps of the climax departed she moaned out, "Ranma…Nabiki…"

Back at Furinkan, two teenagers cuddled after the experience. Slowly they gathered their wits and looked at each other, Ranma's glowing blue eyes meeting Nabiki's. She once again cupped the demon's face.

"Thanks for that," Nabiki whispered.

Ranma sighed, "It was my fault."

"Not at all, I wanted this so don't go blaming yourself. Besides, I know you enjoyed it as much as I did."

"Do you think everything will be ok?"

Nabiki smiled at the worried girl and answered, "Only if we can get to class before someone figures out what's going on." The two girls reluctantly untangled themselves, and Ranma opened her wings to let Nabiki stand, and then allowed them to once again disappear. Nabiki went to adjust her panties, and felt that they were soaked through. She turned, bent over and pulled them off, giving Ranma a full view of her shapely rear in the process.

Ranma smirked, "And I thought I was bad. You're a flirt."

"I can't help it; I'm still feeling the effects of being in your head." She straightened and held up her panties, "But as for these, it would be far too uncomfortable to wear them like this." She showed the garment to the puzzled looking redhead, and Ranma saw that moisture from their lovemaking had saturated the cloth to the point of dripping translucency. Both girls gave an involuntary shudder at the thought of wearing them for the rest of the day in an already uncomfortable school chair, and then they both giggled as they saw the other girl react.

Finally, they were both dressed, and had tossed Nabiki's ruined panties into the trash. Nabiki checked to make sure the rain had stopped, and proceeded to use the, amazingly still warm enough, kettle to change Ranma to his birth form.

She was about to ask him if he wanted a go in his male form, but stopped when the answer came to her, _His posture is all inhibited now, as if he was unsure of himself. He must have different reactions when he's like this._ She thought for a moment and concluded, _Of course, he's not a hormonally driven sex demon when he's a guy. He has no idea what he's doing now. _She decided to let it go for now, and led Ranma into the halls of Furinkan.

By the time they had dealt with the office, with Nabiki working the secretaries like a puppet master, it was lunch. Nabiki showed Ranma to his new classroom and waved hello to her sister. With a silent look at Ranma, the two agreed they would talk again after school.

As Nabiki was turning to leave for her own class, a sodden Kuno turned the corner and began to storm down the hall towards Ranma.

The kendoist yelled out, "Never shall I allow this injustice to stand!"

Ranma asked the older boy, "What the hell are you talking about now/"

"You dare strike at the noble son of House Kuno, and then use your underhanded deceptions to besmirch my good name, and then feign ignorance?"

Nabiki turned to Ranma, "Beating him down was one thing, but what was the rest of that about?"

"Look at his forehead," Ranma replied with a smile.

Nabiki did look, and started to laugh out loud. A bruise had formed on Kuno's forehead in a very specific shape, in fact the word 'molester' was stamped onto the upperclassman's forehead. Kuno wildly swung out in an attempt to take off Ranma's head, and the pigtailed boy yanked Nabiki out of the way while using his book bag as a makeshift shield. Akane had come out to see what the commotion was about, and Ranma pushed Nabiki into her arms as he bounced back to avoid the follow up strike.

Akane caught her sister and asked, "What now?"

"Kuno's at it again," She snarled out and stood up again.

Meanwhile, Ranma was dodging down the hall and had realized that more people were coming out to investigate. He wouldn't be able to keep the mad upperclassman from hurting someone at this rate. As he danced back to avoid another thrust, his peripheral vision caught an open window and he jumped up on the sill.

"This is no place for a fight," He called back, "Follow me, mister dumbass." With that he jumped out the window.

"Barbarian, I shall smite thee," Kuno declared and leaped out as well.

"Wait," one of the on looking students called lamely, "this is the third floor!"

Ranma called back, "Don't worry. I'm…" Just then he looked down and saw the school's Olympic size swimming pool beneath him.

"Oh, crap."

With two large splashes, the fighters landed in the water. Kuno had taken the landing face first, and was stunned for a moment, but when he came to he spotted his red vested adversary a short distance away and gave chase. He quickly swam into range to grapple and grabbed on to his opponent's shoulder. With a mighty heave, he brought them up to brake the surface near the edge of the pool.

"I fight on!" With that he wrapped an arm around Ranma in an attempt to keep his opponent from running away any more, and his hand grabbed a large, soft, mound on the chest of the person he was struggling with.

Ranma winced as the kendoist roughly squeezed her breast, muttering a curse as she planted her feet on the pool's wall and reached behind her to grab his head. With every ounce of her strength she vaulted out of the water and dragged Kuno over her shoulder to body slam him into the concrete poolside. She then flipped over him and dashed to the tree line of the woods behind the school.

Nabiki was already running out of the building with a newly filled kettle, and Akane tagging along behind her to make sure Nabiki would be all right. They passed Kuno as they ran into the woods, who wore a contemplative look as he lay on the ground.

Searching for Ranma did no good, until a voice called from above, "Up here!" Ranma was sitting in a high tree branch, ringing out her pants, with her boxers hanging from the branch next to her.

"Put some clothes on, you pervert," Akane said.

"I will as soon as they dry a little. I've had enough of getting soaked through with water, thank you."

Nabiki smiled and held up the kettle, "I thought you could use a little more, but if that's the way you feel…"

"No, no, no, I need that," Ranma called down, waving her arms wildly.

"Well, you'd better hurry," Akane said, moving away and dropping into a combat stance, "Because here comes Kuno."

Nabiki moved to the tree and tossed the kettle up to Ranma, who reached out to get it, but was only able to grab it by extending her body out into open space, gripping the branch with her toes.

As Kuno entered the clearing, Akane shouted, "I challenge you!"

The boy turned to Akane and entered a stance of his own, "Never did I dare dream that the fire of your eyes should turn to mine. Oh, sweet Akane, if you defeat me, I shall date thee." With that he charged and let fly a descending slash. Instead of dodging, Akane caught the blade between her hands and entered into a contest of strength with the taller boy.

Back at the tree, Nabiki was watching Ranma slowly right herself, and called up, "Akane is buying you time, but it isn't much. Hurry up."

"I'm trying," growled Ranma, pulling herself up. As her knees began to bend and lock upright, Akane was also using her legs to adjust her position against Kuno, and with a surge of power, she lifted him off the ground and planted a foot in his midsection. She rolled back and launched him airborne. With a loud clang, he landed head first on the kettle that Ranma was holding, almost making her lose balance again. Kuno opened his eyes and saw the redhead starring back at him.

"You're that girl," he said dumbly. Ranma looked at him quizzically, hoping that he was as big an idiot as he seemed. "Do you know where that pigtailed boy ran to?" Ranma shook her head, relived that Kuno couldn't tell that the boy and girl were one and the same, until Kuno spoke again, "I see, that coward ran in fear at my prowess. I tell you, that one is no man, he is not a man I say!"

With that, Ranma let go of the kettle and let Kuno drop the fifteen feet to the ground. She let go of the branch and dropped after him, landing lightly on her feet and into a battle stance.

"I'm not going to hang around and let you talk like that, you jerk."

Kuno stood, a lump forming on his head, and once more took up his wooden sword. "Amusing," He said, "Very well, if you defeat me, I shall allow you the honor of going out with me." He then lunged at the waiting redhead.

She nimbly jumped up and landed on the tip of the blade, yelling, "Who would want to go out with a creep like you?!" She fired a devastating roundhouse kick that caught Kuno in his already much abused head, and he dropped like a stone. With a showy dismount she did a double kick, giving Nabiki a flash of red pubic hair, and landed lightly, picking up Kuno's discarded sword and breaking it over one knee.

She tossed the two pieces to the knocked out boy, and turned to Nabiki, "Let's go home, this day's a total bust."

Akane looked at him, "But it's only noon?"

Nabiki went over to Ranma, and said, "Yeah, and today has already been too long. Don't worry about it, Sis, you head back. We'll see you later."

Akane looked on as the normally studious Nabiki began to walk away with the half dressed redhead. Her stunned expression remained until the two had left the school grounds, and then she noticed a tinny dripping sound coming from above her.

She looked up, and then yelled out in embarrassment, "You forgot your pants!"

Nabiki and Ranma were already out of earshot, however. Nabiki had already noticed Ranma's state, but didn't feel like commenting about it for two reasons. The first was that Ranma would more then likely react badly to having not noticed her unclothed bottom, and her vest was long enough that everything of importance was covered. The second was quite simple; Nabiki liked watching the girl walk.

She may have been an inch or two shorter, but Ranma's legs were just about perfect, and when she walked she swayed her hips in such a fashion to cause a hypnotic effect on people behind her. After their time in the rain, Nabiki found that her resistance to the younger girl was weakening, and the physical and mental pleasure she had endured were still lingering in her mind.

"Nabiki?"

She was startled out of her revere and immediately pulled her eyes from Ranma's butt to her face, which was looking over her shoulder, "Yeah?"

Ranma slowed so they were side by side and continued, "You want to call off the engagement now?"

Nabiki looked startled and asked, "What for?"

Ranma gave her a sad expression and explained, "Well, you said you know about Shampoo, and I took advantage of you back there." The redhead looked down and mumbled, "I figured you wouldn't want a two-timing, sex changing freak that pretty much forced you into having sex with her."

Nabiki pulled the other girl into an ally and pushed her against a wall, "Ok, first thing you need to do is lose the guilt. If anyone forced what happened, it was me. I'm the one that talked you into using your power on me so I could figure out what was happening to me. I wasn't ready for what I saw, but that's not your fault either. I figured that you already had sex, after all you're a sex demon, and I just didn't plan for what happened."

"What exactly did happen?"

Nabiki leaned against the opposite wall and sighed, "When you started draining my energy, it triggered something. I now know you can feel the emotions of your victims."

Ranma interrupted with a shocked, "Victims?!"

Nabiki winced, "Ok, bad choice of words. How about lovers?" Ranma winced again, but nodded, and Nabiki continued, "Anyway, it was like that, but I could hear your thoughts, and at the moment you were thinking about the Amazon village and who you knew there. Then you thought about Shampoo and the first time you kissed her. I got caught in the memory, and I guess aroused by it. You felt my arousal, and thought about the times you had sex with Shampoo, and I got caught in those memories too."

Ranma had a pensive expression and picked it up, "The more aroused you got, the more I thought about arousing things, causing the cycle to increase. The hotter I got, the more it drove you up the wall, and so on."

Nabiki nodded, "Until the breaking point." She paused for a moment and both girls stared at the ground. Finally Nabiki said, "I know you care about Shampoo, you two are so alike. I don't know if you love her or not, but she is important to you. I also know that you care about me, because I haven't rejected you like everyone else would, I've given you the chance. We're trapped by our fathers, but if we do it right, we can set the terms, and maybe none of us has to be lonely."

Ranma pushed off the wall and stuck her hand out to Nabiki, "I'm Ranma, want to be friends?"

Nabiki smirked and grabbed the hand, pulling the smaller girl into a hug, "Sure, but only if there are benefits." She then proceeded to kiss the redhead in her arms, holding on to the moment as a chance for the future.

Meanwhile, back at the school, Kuno had awoken, but lay on the ground looking up into the sky. His mind replayed the last moments of the fight again and again in his mind. The contact of the long slender leg to his head was preceded by an amazing acrobatic display, and a flash of neatly trimmed red pubic hair. The buxom figure was both beautiful and dynamic, and Kuno could only come to one conclusion.

He stood up and declared to the world, "Tree born kettle girl, I shall date thee!"

To be continued.


	6. Doctors, Dildos, and Dumbasses, Oh

Author's Note: Ranma and friends were created by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I do not own, rent, or lease them. This was written purely for the entertainment of all of the Ranma fans out there. This work may contain material of a sexual nature, only those 21 and older are legally allowed to read, so check the ID's at the door.

P.S.: for Janice.

Nabiki sat on her sister's bed and Akane worked on her homework. The two girls had been talking about recent events, and Akane was once more questioning her sister's choices over the last few days.

"I still don't understand why you agreed to marry that pervert."

Nabiki, who was flipping through a magazine, stopped and answered, "I didn't, I just agreed to be his fiancée. There is a difference you know," she paused and smirked, "And Ranma's no more a pervert then I am."

Akane looked shocked, "Are you kidding me, he's a boy that turns himself into a girl and leaves his pants hanging in a tree. He was probably trying to sneak into the girl's locker room or something."

Nabiki's eyes narrowed as she glared at her sister, "She was trying to get away from that letch that keeps chasing you around, as any clear thinking girl should do. And you're the one that keeps coming up with ideas as to what Ranma could be doing, ever think you were the pervert here?"

"Yeah right. Perverts are boys, Nabiki. And Ranma's a sex changing freak."

_If only you knew, little sister,_ Nabiki thought. She began to imitate some of the exercises in the magazine, lifting her long leg until it was parallel with her body. Holding this position she told Akane, "You really need to be more flexible, Sis."

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 6

Doctors, Dildos, and Dumbasses, Oh My

Ranma had finally been introduced to the class, but everyone seemed to already know about him. His battle with Kuno had already made him the talk of the class, and as he took his seat, he felt the eyes of every student on him. It continued like that through the first half of the day, and just before Ranma began to fall asleep the lunch bell rang. Immediately he was surrounded by the other students, asking question after question. Their voices blurred together, and Ranma felt a desperate need for open space.

Leaping to an open window, and checking to make sure the pool wasn't below, Ranma jumped out and headed into the tree line again to get away from all the questioning students. After a few moments, he was able to catch his breath, and enjoy the solitude in the small stand of trees.

"Not too good with crowds, are you?"

Ranma jumped and spun around, ready to strike at an attacker. Behind him stood Nabiki with a smirk on her face.

"I felt what happened, and followed you out here," she said and leaned against a tree.

Ranma relaxed and did likewise, "I've been on the road so long, and it was a little overwhelming." He paused and asked, "You were able to sense my mood from your classroom?"

Nabiki shrugged, "Not exactly, I was already on my way to see you when it happened. Kuno saw me with a certain redhead yesterday, and figured I could deliver this." She held up a folded envelope with formal calligraphy on it, declaring it was for 'The Tree Born Kettle Girl'.

Taking the envelope, Ranma asked, "You read it yet?"

"I'm just the messenger here, but Kuno was pretty intense when he handed it to me."

Ranma read the note, and crumpled it up, sighing as he slid to the ground, "This guy just never quits, does he? He wants to meet her after school in the soccer field. It's written like he talks, but I think it's a formal challenge."

"Be careful here, Ranma," Nabiki cautioned, "he hates to lose, and this may turn ugly really fast."

Ranma shrugged, "He's good, but I'm better."

Nabiki sat next to Ranma, and the two teens sat in comfortable silence for a time, neither feeling the need to disturb the quiet clearing. Nabiki did her best to keep her mind from wondering, as she had done since yesterday, so her new ability to read minds didn't go astray. It was getting easier, and she was able to block out most of the noise in her head. Now she felt like testing herself further and tried to speak without talking.

"_Ranma…"_

"Yeah?"

Nabiki turned to Ranma, saw him looking at her and tried again, "_Ranma…"_

Ranma looked confused for a moment, but then he asked, "Is that the thing you did yesterday?"

Nabiki nodded and tried again, but her thoughts became jumbled when she tried to string more then a few words together, and she reverted to talking, "It's hard, like pushing through a gel wall, but I figure I need to get a handle on it sooner rather then later."

Ranma nodded and said, "I guess it's like doing a kata. The more you do it, the easier it gets."

Nabiki nodded and turned her thoughts inward again, and decided to ask another question, "You spent four days with the Amazons, and all of those nights were with Shampoo. Why didn't you ever sleep with her as a guy?" She turned to look at him again and opened her mind. She figured if the boy stumbled around the answer, or couldn't figure it out, this would help her understand. And she could use this as another exercise.

Ranma nervously chuckled, scratching the back of his head, and asked back, "Isn't that a little out of left field?"

"Yes," Nabiki answered, "but it's a real question I've wanted to ask since yesterday. I may have a few ideas, but you're the one who can answer it."

Ranma's mind flashed back to the one time Shampoo had managed to get him as a male, giving him his first blowjob. Nabiki found herself once more seeing the event from Ranma's perspective, and feeling all the things he felt as his Amazon wife worked him over. Before the sensations he remembered became too arousing, she cut herself off, closing her mind once again. He never noticed this, as he tried to come up with an answer.

Finally he said, "When I'm a girl, it's like I can't help but think about it, I guess it's the demon part of me. When I'm a guy, I just don't think about it much. Elder Cologne told me that my father had raised me without the ability to relate to people. He never really let me attend much school, never let me keep any friends. As soon as I was beginning to fit in anywhere, he dragged me away to continue the training trip."

Even without trying, she could tell Ranma was sad, and asked, "But you were there, and Shampoo was willing. Your dad couldn't interfere, and I know you like girls, so what stopped you?"

Ranma looked away and answered with embarrassment, "I don't know what to do."

Nabiki looked surprised, "You sure seemed to know what to do yesterday."

"Yeah, as a girl. The demon seems to instinctively know what to do, I just start, and there it is, but it's like a dim memory when I change back." Ranma flicked a rock away and looked up at Nabiki, "I think I'd freeze up if I had tried talking to you before all this happened."

_The poor boy is so starved for affection, and the demon side of him seems to know this, and looks for the affection he needs. _Nabiki thought, _I hope he's not going to develop some weird spilt personality._ She took his hand, and gave it a reassuring squeeze, "Look, I'm used to working the angles, finding new opportunities. If we stick together, I'm sure we'll figure it out."

"Thanks Nabiki."

The bell rang to signal the end of lunch, and the two teens stood and dusted themselves off. Before the two went to their respective classes, Nabiki said, "I can understand why Shampoo fell hard for you. You're honest and loyal, and normally I take advantage of those kinds of people, but I've been in your head now. You're a lost puppy that turns into a wildcat, and I could fall for you too if I'm not careful." She stood on the tips of her toes and gave the stunned boy a kiss on the cheek, "See you after class, Ranma."

The rest of the day seemed to blur by for Ranma. For the second time in his life, a girl had turned him upside down. Shampoo and Nabiki both seemed to accept what he was, and both seemed to like him in spite of it. Admittedly, he had only known both girls for a few days, but it seemed so easy to be drawn in by them.

_Maybe Nabiki is right, _Ranma thought as his last class ended, _I just don't know._

He was about to avoid the press of people once again by jumping out the window, when Akane caught his arm and dragged him back in.

"Are you trying to get into trouble?"

Ranma shrugged as Akane dragged him out of the classroom, "I just wanted to get out there and deal with Kuno before everyone jumped me."

"Kuno," Akane asked, "What does he want?"

"Nabiki told me that he wanted to challenge my other side after school."

Akane laughed, "Nabiki probably got paid a good bit to set that up." When Ranma looked at her funny, she continued, "Nabiki runs the betting pool here at school. If there is a fight between you two again, you can bet she already figured out a way to make money off of it."

"What are you talking about?"

Akane stopped and faced Ranma, "Nabiki almost runs this school, and she has her own little empire for gambling and dirty pictures."

Ranma looked Akane in the eye and said, "She told me yesterday she deals in information, not that other stuff. Aren't you being a little harsh on your own sister?"

"Not really," Akane answered, "Nabiki knows what I think, and she doesn't care. Personally, I'm looking forward to when she sells you off or something, and you're out of her life."

Ranma was about to fire back a retort, when he decided, _it's not worth it, and Nabiki can take care of herself. I have more important things to worry about._

He pulled his arm free from Akane and headed outside, "You're entitled to your opinion, just don't expect me to share it. And as far as Nabiki's life goes, that's her decision, not yours."

Akane growled, and was tempted to pitch her book bag at the boy, but she decided that watching Kuno beat the hell out of him was enough. She knew from experience that the crazed kendoist would never give up as long as he breathed. She just hoped the two perverts would kill each other in the process.

Ranma soon arrived at the equipment shed and found Nabiki waiting for him.

"What took so long," She asked.

"Your sister seemed to want to tell me that you were a mob boss or something."

Nabiki shrugged, "Oh, that."

"Is any of it true?"

"What, little old me? I just keep things from getting out of control around here. Akane probably forgot to mention how bad it was before I began calling the shots." Nabiki handed Ranma a small paper cup of cold water.

After changing to his female form, she asked, "How bad was it?"

"This area had a few members of a small time gang that usually operates in the larger districts, they always wanted to prove how big they were, and it got violent. Most of the kids around here have never taken an interest in self defense martial arts, and wound up having to do grunt work for those punks. Akane was the only one to stand up to them, and she put a real hurt on them, then I convinced them that she was my muscle, and if they wanted to make it out in one piece, they would turn over the whole thing to me. I've spent the last year undoing the more harmful parts of the mess, but I keep the little stuff going for a little pocket change."

"That makes it sound like you're only a little less of a criminal then they are."

Nabiki turned away, and grunted, "No one is getting hurt, and as long as I keep control, no one will. There are no drugs, and no one is getting shook down for money. The only bullying that goes on is the stuff with Akane and Kuno. Don't you think that's better?"

Ranma came up behind Nabiki, and wrapped her arms around the taller girl. She spoke into her neck, "I'm sorry, I don't know about things like that, I've never been in a school long enough to see that stuff." Nabiki felt the warmth of the redhead's breath, and the warmth of her feelings as Ranma held her close. The two stood alone for a moment, simply sharing each other's company.

_I may be giving her a friend, _thought Nabiki, _but it seems it works both ways._

All too soon, Ranma released Nabiki. The girls faced each other again, and nodded understanding to each other. With that, they shared a soft kiss, not passionate, simply one of a shared connection, and turned to exit the shed.

As they neared the field, Nabiki fell behind, giving a reassuring squeeze to Ranma's shoulder before stopping a distance away from where Kuno stood. Ranma continued on and stopped a few feet away from the contemplative looking boy. Seeing that Kuno held no shinai, Ranma wondered if the boy wanted to fight barehanded, but his stance was all wrong.

Finally she asked, "Pretty confident to face me without your sword, huh Kuno?"

Kuno lowered his gaze to Ranma and answered, "Confident enough to give you this." He whipped his hand into his robe and threw an object at Ranma. She reflexively caught it, expecting a dagger or kunai dart, but found instead she held a single red rose.

"I love you," Kuno said and turned away to leave.

Both Ranma and Nabiki fell to the ground in shock, and watched the upperclassman walk off towards the school clubhouses.

Ranma was the first to recover, standing and yelling after him, "You sick fuck! I'd rather die than have someone like you say they love me!"

Kuno stumbled in his believed cool stride, and looked back at the redhead tigress that had just sworn like a sailor. Nabiki could almost smell the smoke from Kuno's brain and decided to intervene.

"Um, Kuno," she started, "You remember Ranma?"

Kuno recovered himself and struck a noble pose, "Of course, the coward that ran from our fight and left this fiery sprite in his place."

Ranma was about to object when Nabiki shot her a quick, _"Shush!"_ She then went on, "Kuno, this girl and Ranma are of one mind and body."

Kuno thought, then contemplated, then he pondered, finally he speculated. In conclusion he shouted, "That fiend, molesting one as innocent and full of healthy beauty as this one! I shall away to free you from the clutches of the monster and deviant Saotome this very day!" He then stormed off to find his sword and begin his honorable quest.

"Thank you ever so much for helping," Ranma groaned out, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Nabiki scratched the back of her head and winced, "That didn't go as I planned, sorry."

Ranma sighed, "Now I have to go around and kick his ass again because he thinks I'm some kind of creep that enslaved myself." She stopped and rubbed her temples, "That sounds so stupid it gave me a headache."

"Just let it go," Nabiki said, "He may never get it at this rate."

Ranma began walking back to the school and said, "No, I got to stop this before it gets any worse." The two girls went back into the building, and soon a boy and a girl left and headed out to the club's area to find Kuno. They found him searching behind the building, shinai in hand.

As soon as Kuno saw Ranma, he leapt into an attack yelling, "Enslaver of the pure! Defiler of the innocent! I shall punish thee for justice!"

Nabiki backpedaled to get out of the way leaving the two boys to fight and thought,_ first the rose, then that corny line. I think someone is a closet Sailor Moon fan._

Ranma was dodging and ducking, allowing Kuno to use up his energy while waiting for the perfect opening. With each slash and stab Ranma was learning Kuno's attack patterns, and finding the counters. The combatants reached the end of the building and Ranma ducked around the corner, setting up a massive ax kick for when Kuno charged around. It was in that instant that a large amount of cold water was dumped on his head.

Looking up, Ranma saw two girls holding an empty fish tank. Apparently they were in charge of cleaning it out, and had simply poured the used water out the window, figuring that no one would be on the path below. Dropping her kick, Ranma quickly gathered her now loose pants and redid the simple tie so they would fit again, but the second it took to do so was one too long, and Kuno appeared in front of her.

"Ah, Pigtailed Girl," He exclaimed, "You have rejoined my side to witness my triumph. It is truly a sign of your affection towards me." With that, Kuno grabbed Ranma and dragged her into a tight hug, "I shall always hold you and never let go!"

As Ranma came into close contact with the tall boy, she began to feel his lust, and it nauseated her. She had felt Nabiki and Shampoo, and their lust was mixed with care and warmth, but his was like an out of control animal, snarling at anything that caught its eye. She had seen the lengths Kuno had gone to in attempting to entrap Akane, and knew that he would do the same to her if she allowed it. She was about to release her demon wings and force the guy off her, when she felt hot water pour on her neck.

He smirked as Nabiki stepped away with a kettle, and tried a new approach, "Kuno, I didn't know you felt that way about me. Sorry, but you just aren't my type."

Kuno jerked back in shock from the male Ranma, and looked wildly around, "You wretch! What have you done with my Pig Tailed Girl?!"

"You can't be serious; you didn't notice the change while I was standing here?"

"I see," Kuno stated, and dropped into a ready stance, "You have spirited her away with a foul magic. I shall defeat you and free her to be by my side!" With that he renewed his assault. Ranma jumped back to gain distance, but Kuno was already moving. Ranma had to rapidly give ground as Kuno thrust in a rapid pattern that left little opening. Soon he found a wall behind him, and jumped up to plant his feet, using it as a springboard to launch a vicious roundhouse kick to Kuno's head.

After the kick, Ranma landed behind him, and saw a paper fluttering down from Kuno's shirt. He grabbed it and saw that it was an ink drawing done in the old style of drawing, of a redhead and a longhaired brunette nude and clutching to a samurai standing in a noble pose.

_Aside from the fact that it's me and Akane clutching to this moron like a couple of slave girls, the drawing ain't half bad,_ Ranma thought.

Kuno saw the moment's distraction and lashed out with a strike at his opponent and yelled, "An opening!"

Ranma had enough time to roll with the strike, and lessen the blow, but felt it none the less. He continued his roll until he found himself looking up at Nabiki and Akane.

"Hey, Akane, What's up?"

Akane looked down at the boy and answered, "I heard all the ruckus and wanted to make sure my sister was safe. But you better watch out, Kuno is really going all out."

"Noted," Ranma told the girl, and looked up at Nabiki, "I like your panties better then hers, and pokadots are kinda lame." Akane pushed on the front of her uniform skirt, blocking his view, and punted him away.

"Pervert!"

Ranma used the momentum of the kick to launch himself back at Kuno, and wound up for another assault. Kuno simply drew his blade back and launched a barrage of stabbing strikes at the airborne boy, and Ranma was forced to land early to avoid them, bending his knees and kicking upward in a blurring motion. As he flipped away, Kuno slowly fell forward, his shinai still extended.

The girls waited a moment, and then went over to examine the fallen upperclassman. Akane flipped him over, and Ranma's footprint could be seen over a dozen times on his chest and face.

"Well, he was all talk," Ranma said calmly.

Akane looked at him incredulously, "He hit you hard enough to knock out a horse, and you're just standing there?"

"No big deal," he said, but Nabiki felt a pain in his side that he was hiding in his stance.

"You head home, Akane," she said, "We'll get rid of the idiot and see you later."

Akane shrugged, "Fine by me. You can let him rot for all I care." She turned and headed out.

Once she was out of sight and earshot, Nabiki went to Ranma and said, "You're too macho for your own good, you know that?"

"What are you talking about?"

Nabiki pointed at his side and stated, "I can feel that, remember. You're hiding it well, but that hit he got in hurt like hell. And during the fight, you got distracted by something." He held out the drawing and Nabiki looked at it, "He always was good at this kind of thing, a little disturbing though." She looked back at him, saw him hide another wince of pain and stepped up to him and looked him right in the eyes, "Are you going to make this difficult, or are you going to come with me?"

Ranma saw that he was trapped, and held up his hands in surrender. Nabiki's mood softened and she led him off the school grounds, stepping on the passed out kendoist on the way.

"Doctor Tofu has been our family doctor for years," she told him as they walked to the small clinic only a few blocks between the school and the Tendo home. "He takes care of all Akane's lumps and cuts when she gets carried away by one of her fights."

The two teens went in, and Nabiki went to look for the doctor while Ranma stayed in the waiting room, studying the acupuncture charts on the wall. He suddenly felt a boney hand on his shoulder and whipped into a defensive stance, backpedaling in surprise.

"Sorry about that," said a young man wearing a dark gi and glasses, "Betty just wanted to say hi." Ranma saw that the man was holding a full size skeleton that had been rigged with strings to control its movements.

Nabiki returned at that moment and said, "Still pulling that on the newcomers, huh Doc?"

"Just having a little fun," he said, "but I do apologize if I overdid it."

Calming down, Ranma said, "Don't worry, Doctor. I've just had a rough day."

"Do tell. I can see that you're favoring your side. Let me guess, shinai?" Tofu led Ranma and Nabiki into an examination room and quickly checked over the red bruise on Ranma's side while Nabiki told him an edited story of how it had happened.

The doctor quickly hit a pressure point and applied a cool gel to the wound, and said, "You did the right thing, standing up for your friend like that. Just try not to get into too many of these fights. I'd hate for you to come in as often as Akane has had to in the past."

Ranma shivered, "Trust me, I don't want to be hit any more then you want me to be, I just manage to piss people off no matter where I go."

"Well, all I can say is try. As for the bruise, it should be fine by morning."

Nabiki said, "Thank you Doc. Come on Ranma, we should head out."

Leaving the building, Ranma said, "He's good."

"Well, he is a doctor, you know."

"Not that," he clarified, "he managed to sneak up on me completely, with a rattling skeleton of all things. He must be a really good martial artist to do that."

Nabiki nodded, "I guess that explains why Akane has such a crush on him."

"I thought she hates men?"

Nabiki shrugged, "It's a schoolgirl thing, and she knows it's hopeless because he already likes someone."

"Oh."

The conversation over dinner focused on the challenge match with Kuno, and Akane added her two cents in to make Ranma look bad. After his father had accused him of changing gender to try and escape an honorable battle, Ranma had punted him into the pond and beat him like a bearskin rug. He excused himself and headed up to his room, the days events wearing him out completely.

He stripped to his undergarments, and lay down, as his body finally caught up to him. Sleep came quickly, and Ranma found himself falling towards the school pool, Kuno calmly falling beside him.

"I love you…"

Ranma shuddered as they hit the water and he came up, grasping the edge, but Kuno was already there. Ranma soon found that he couldn't hold on to the edge, as it had become slippery and wet.

Kuno reached out and said," Take my hand, and I will date you."

"I'm a guy, damn it!"

Kuno looked confused, "You are not, I can see that clearly."

Ranma looked down and saw that he was a she. Quickly she began to struggle, moving away from the wall, but something pulled her down under the water. She found herself drifting down, unable to move. She saw two shadowed female forms swimming toward her, but they were blocked from her sight when a nude Kuno drifted into view.

"Serve me, as a woman should…I love you…"

He drifted closer, and Ranma found herself slowly opening her legs to accept him in an embrace, but she caught sight of the two female forms again, one shaded in blue, the other in a soft brown. She kicked off of Kuno, and he faded from view, as the other forms came closer. Just before they came into contact, Ranma felt a pressure on her legs, and when she looked down, she saw Kuno grabbing on to her.

"I love you…You are mine…"

Ranma bolted upright and looked around. He sat on his mat in his room at the Tendo's, and shivered at the memory of the dream. He looked down and saw that his father had turned over and flipped a leg over his own during the night. Carefully, he extracted his leg, stood and went to the door. Heading into the hall, he saw the wall clock, and it told him it was barely midnight.

Ducking into the bathroom, he splashed cold water in his face, clearing his mind and turning him into a girl.

Looking into the mirror, she said, "Just a dream." She started back to the room she shared with her father, not even bothering to change back. Halfway down the hall, she passed Nabiki's door, and a tingle shot up her spine.

Pausing, she reached one hand out to the door, and felt the tingle again, this time she recognized it, and her nipples tightened at the sensation. She gave a slight tap at the door, low enough not to be heard by anyone else in the house.

After a moment came, "_Come in, Ranma…"_

Quickly she opened the door enough to slip in and close it behind her. Letting her eyes adjust to the darker room, she looked at Nabiki's bed, and found a sight indeed.

Nabiki laid spread out, legs wide, and in the nude. Sweat glistened off her body in the starlight, and Ranma was drawn toward the erotic sight.

Feeling a little vulnerable, Ranma said, "I had a nightmare."

Nabiki smiled, "And you came for a little comfort?"

Ranma nodded, and Nabiki raised her arm to give a come-hither gesture to the girl. She approached the bed, leaving her tank top and boxers on the floor as she went, until she stood next to the prone Nabiki. She saw that the girl had something between her legs, and reached down to investigate.

With a slight pop, the object finally came free, and Ranma saw that it was some kind of phallic shaped item. She almost dropped it, but Nabiki took her hand.

"Sometimes fingers aren't enough," she said soothingly, "and we both know you aren't ready for this as a guy, so I use my little friend here." She saw the slight look of panic on the redhead's face, and pulled her down into a hug, pressing their breasts together. She continued, "I was thinking about you, as a guy and a girl, while I used it."

"But…"

Nabiki quickly turned the girl and took the object from her, "It's called a dildo, and you don't have to think of it as a penis, just as a tool for getting off." She sensed the fear in Ranma, no doubt due to the flashes of her dream that Nabiki was picking up, and moved to put the dildo away.

Ranma quietly asked, "Doesn't it hurt?" Nabiki looked at her, trying to decide the girl's mood.

Finally she answered, "No, it feels good."

Ranma shivered in her arms and said, "In the dream, Kuno almost put his in me, and for a moment, I wanted it, but then you and Shampoo saved me."

"If you want, I'll put this away and never have it out in front of you again."

Ranma thought about this, and remembered the sight of Nabiki when she first came in. The thought was simply an increase of the image Ranma had when she had watched herself masturbate in China. She tried to think of it simply as a tool for that masturbation, and sighed.

"Can you show me again?"

Nabiki gave a small smile to the girl, and laid back, letting Ranma position herself on the edge of the bed near her waist. The demonstration that followed was almost too much for Ranma to handle, but the young succubus was transfixed by Nabiki's display.

Finally, she came, and the force of it almost pushed the rubber invader out of her completely. She opened her eyes, and saw that Ranma was panting beside her, one hand between her folded legs in and attempt to relieve some of the pressure built up at the sight she had just witnessed.

The demon girl was transfixed by the erotic display, and when she saw Nabiki offer her the dildo, she felt an urge to experience what Nabiki had gone through. She took the object in her hand, and Nabiki rolled to her side and made room on the bed. Ranma lay down, and looked up at Nabiki. The unspoken question of whether or not to continue she saw in Nabiki's eyes was answered with a simple nod.

Nabiki began, slowly as not to startle Ranma, but after the initial trepidation the redhead was soon enthralled by the sensations. She looked up at Nabiki, who was concentrating on giving her this feeling and wondered how she could survive the intensity. Then she wondered how she could live without it.

Once they had both returned to earth, Nabiki dragged her hand back down to remove the rubber phallus from Ranma, and found that it had removed itself from the force of the ejaculation. She retrieved it and brought it up in front of Ranma's faintly glowing eyes. Taking a long lick, she tasted the mix of Ranma's and her own fluids mixed together, and leaning down, she kissed Ranma, opening her mouth and sharing the essence.

After dropping the dildo into the box on the floor and kicking it back under the bed, Nabiki pulled a light sheet over the two nude girls. Legs intertwined, they lay there, quietly regaining their breath, and holding each other close.

As Nabiki rested her head on Ranma's chest, she said, "I hope you have better dreams now."

"I will," Ranma said, and kissed the top of the other girl's head. Soon, sleep took them both, and two smiles were held on their faces in the dark.

As they slumbered, the bedroom door could be seen moving slightly. In the darkness it went from open only a crack, to closed and a single whisper could be heard.

"Oh, my."

To be continued.


	7. A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste

Author's Note: Ranma and friends were created by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I do not own, rent, or lease them. This was written purely for the entertainment of all of the Ranma fans out there. This work may contain material of a sexual nature, only those 21 and older are legally allowed to read, so check the ID's at the door.

P.S.: for Janice.

Morning came all too early for the residents of the Tendo dojo. Ranma had quietly disengaged herself from Nabiki, and was sneaking back into the room she shared with her father. Pulling on a clean pair of boxers and a fresh tank top, she slid back under the light sheet of her futon. She lay back with a contented smile on her face knowing that Nabiki did seem to care about her, and she had a full charge of energy from the night's activities. She began to let herself drift back to sleep, figuring she could get another hour in before the hustle of the day started.

Suddenly she found herself airborne and through the window, her father a jump behind her in full battle mode. Figuring the old fool had thrown her as part of training, she decided to show what she could do now and let her wings appear. Reversing her direction and kicking off her sheet, she met her oncoming father in mid-air to deliver a driving kick to his defensively crossed arms.

Genma was pushed to the ground outside the house, while Ranma gained altitude, hovering over her father and smirking. She was even with the second story windows, and saw that the noise created by Genma's crash landing had awoken the rest of the residents. Nabiki stood nude looking out the window at the flying girl, her eyes wide and mouth open, having never seen Ranma fly before. She quickly disappeared from view and reappeared downstairs wearing a bathrobe and joining Kasumi on the porch.

"They're at it again," she said. Kasumi nodded and stood with her as they watched Genma jump up and try to attack his female son, only to get kicked in the head and sent into the pond again. "I guess that this will take a while, you need any help with breakfast, Sis?"

Kasumi refused to meet Nabiki's gaze and quickly answered, "No, that's all right." She then bustled out to the kitchen to finish preparations.

Outside, Ranma swooped in low to attack with a high speed punch, and was met by a wall of water as Genma splashed heavily and obscured his image. She flew through the water, and before she could correct her trajectory, found herself kicked by the waterlogged panda. Rolling away, she gathered herself for another go.

Suddenly Kasumi yelled out, "Breakfast is ready!"

The panda instantly started to happily hop towards the house, and Ranma took the opportunity to jump, land on his shoulders, and kick him in the back of the head. As the panda fell, she bounced away and landed in front of Nabiki.

"That's how you end a practice session, not by running away to get a meal."

She saw that Nabiki's eyes were drawn downward, and checked herself. She found that her white tank top was soaked to the point of translucency, and her nipples stood proud and erect due to the cold water. Sighing, she pulled off her top and began to wring it out on the grass.

Mister Tendo was walking in, sipping his morning coffee, and saw that Genma was out cold on the ground. He also saw a flash of red hair out of the corner of his eye, and said, "Sparring first thing? Good to see you enthusiastic, Ranma."

"Thanks Mr. Tendo," chirped Ranma, drawing attention to herself. Soun saw the almost nude girl, and sprayed a fine mist of brown liquid into the air as he keeled over, passed out.

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 7

A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste

Akane had come down the stairs in time to see her father pass out and stormed over to the topless redhead growling, "Put your shirt on! Don't you have any feminine modesty?!"

Spreading her wings, Ranma looked at her funny and answered, "Duh, guy who turns into a sex demon. Why should I?"

Akane angrily shouted, "Have some shame!"

"Ease up, Akane," Nabiki soothed, "Ranma hasn't done anything wrong. Besides, she's my concern, not yours." Ranma used Nabiki's distraction to duck upstairs, change gender, and get dressed. He passed Nabiki on her way to her room, and she gave him a sly smile, which Ranma returned with warmth. He passed her, and almost jumped when he felt her hand pinch his behind.

He turned and saw her enter her room, sliding down her robe to expose her bare shoulder, and giving him a smokey look. As she closed her door, Ranma shivered and wondered what he had gotten into.

After breakfast, he quickly got ready for school, and waited for Nabiki at the door.

She came to put on her shoes and asked, "What's up?"

"I just don't want to deal with Akane's attitude again. I'd rather go with you."

Nabiki sighed, "All right, but I have a lot to do before class, so don't get any ideas."

Ranma nodded and said, "I just want to get to know you, even if it's a little late…you know…"

"That almost sounds like regret," she commented, "You have a problem?"

Now it was Ranma's turn to sigh as they went out the door, "No, I just don't think that this is how normal relationships are supposed to go."

They continued on to school talking quietly. Ranma showed he was truly worried that he was forcing Nabiki into everything that had happened, and Nabiki knew that he meant well, but by the time they got to the school, she had reached her limit.

"Look Ranma, you're a little late to feel guilty about screwing me," Ranma blanched at her bluntness, but she continued, "I know that you've been alone most of your life, and this apologizing crap is the only way you know how to handle a situation like this, but it has to stop. You didn't use Shampoo, and you didn't use me, we both chose to be with you. So if you don't knock it off, I'm gonna start getting pissed."

Ranma was about to say he was sorry, but the look in Nabiki's eye told him he'd regret it, so he clamed up. The two entered the school grounds in silence, until Ranma decided to try a new approach.

"Do you think that Dr. Tofu knows anything about demons, or maybe he can tell if I'm just going a little nuts?"

Nabiki looked at him in surprise and asked, "You want to tell him about the curse?"

"If he's going to be my doctor, he'll find out eventually," he concluded, "Why not get it out of the way?" They agreed to see the doctor after class, and separated to go to class.

Before he left, however, Nabiki said, "I think I like you Ranma, boy and girl, so lighten up on yourself, ok?" He nodded in understanding, and turned to walk away, only to be hit with a spray of cold water as one of the nearby sprinkler heads burst.

"Oh come on," she groused at the sky. She bolted around the school to look for hot water, and saw Akane going through her morning workout. Tossing a wave to the embattled girl, she turned to run into the building, and ran into a mummified Kuno instead.

_From bad to terrible, _she thought, and tried to go around him, but he reached out and engulfed her in a hug.

Through the bandages, she heard him mumbling, "Pigtailed girl, you show your true feelings for me. I knew that cur would fear my prowess after his defeat and you would be free."

Her pigtail standing on end, Ranma grabbed his shoulders, and proceeded to drive her knee into his groin. She then kicked him towards Akane shouting, "Your girlfriend is over there!"

Akane saw the incoming kendoist, and delivered a counter kick sending him back towards Ranma yelling, "Oh no, you want the pigtailed pervert over there!"

The two girls spent a few minutes simply kicking the boy back and forth, ignoring the other boys that normally participated in the morning brawl. They stood well to one side, not wanting to get between two angry girls in a mood for violence.

One of their number summed up the spectacle they were witness to, "Kuno Hackey Sack…Cool." As a group, they came to the conclusion that things were getting a little out of hand, and a truce was drawn up by the business club. The various team captains each signed, and shook hands. Akane Tendo was no longer a target due to fear of extreme Hackeyitis, i.e. the fear of being turned into a small, malleable object that is kicked around by pissed off females.

As they dispersed, Ranma decided to end the game, and punted Kuno over the school wall as the bell rang, and the gate closed. She waved again to Akane and ran into the building. She stealthily entered the cafeteria and used every bit of skill she had to avoid the attendant's view. Quickly she retrieved a small paper cup of hot water and retreated from the room, splashing herself as she ran to class.

He slid into homeroom just as the teacher called his name, barely avoiding detention. The class proceeded normally from there, as Ranma fought to stay awake. He did manage to take a few notes, but kept drifting into thought about his current problem. Every time he turned into a girl, a different set of instincts took over, all of them centered on feeling sensual pleasure. He knew that this wasn't always a bad thing, but when he changed back, all that knowledge and drive was gone. He needed to figure a way to balance it out, not losing the incredible feelings that had developed while gaining control in both forms.

Unfortunately he just kept running his thoughts in circles, unable to find any answers. By the time the last class was complete, he was beginning to worry that he really was going to go nuts, but worse yet, he was only going to go nuts in his male form, leaving his demon girl side loose to do whatever demon girls do.

He met Nabiki outside, and instantly she could tell that his worries were eating away at him. She clasped his shoulder and spoke mentally, "_You are stronger then this. Don't let it stop you._" He took the mental encouragement, and smiled at the older girl. The two teens then headed out to Dr. Tofu's clinic.

Soon they sat with the young doctor and Ranma began, "I have a few secrets that I need help with, will you keep them?"

"My oaths as a doctor prevents me from revealing anything about my patients, Ranma," Tofu said, sitting down across from the nervous boy. Nabiki stood leaning against the wall, giving an encouraging smile to Ranma.

_He's like a live grenade in a steel bunker,_ she thought looking at him, _He could blow up anytime and destroy himself emotionally._

Ranma sighed and started, "It all began in China when my idiot father took me to this training ground…" He went on for some time, telling the entire story, blushing through most of it. Tofu sat, taking it all in. He only spoke to ask for clarification on a vague point or for an explanation of Ranma's moods during certain incidents.

Meanwhile, Nabiki was enthralled by the tale, knowing some of it, but not all. She felt warmth at his descriptions of her and Shampoo as the first people he could remember that were willing to care about him. She also felt dread at the description of the rouge Amazon Elder, Enema, and the near suicidal lengths that Ranma went to in defeating her.

Once the entire story was told, Tofu asked for a demonstration of the curse. Ranma had soon changed back and forth a number of times, and even showed the doctor her wings. The doctor then shooed Nabiki out of the room and gave Ranma a dual full physical, one as a male, one as a female. After that was complete, Nabiki came back in, and Tofu gave them his findings.

"Physically speaking, Ranma is in excellent condition in both forms, though his demon side exhibits a faster healing rate, and a few other anomalies."

The currently male sheepishly grinned and told Nabiki, "My wings are really ticklish, it almost hurt."

The doctor continued, "Also, as a demon, Ranma's ki flows much differently. This is no great surprise, but may be one reason he feels out of balance emotionally. When his body shifts from one form to the other, his ki switches pathways rapidly causing a temporary imbalance. The other reason is a little more esoteric." He took a deep breath and continued, "Every time he assumes the demon form, his own nature comes into conflict with the inner nature of the demon. It is a sexual predator, and that goes against Ranma's true spirit as a protector. The only thing I can recommend is deep meditation or hypnosis to face this dual nature, and find a compromise."

Ranma fell into thought, so Nabiki said, "Thanks Doc, I think you helped out a little just by letting Ranma know that it isn't his fault."

"Of course," he replied, "and if there is anything else, don't be afraid to ask. For now, I'll see if I can dig up anything else that may help you in the texts I have."

The teens got up and began to head out, when Kasumi entered the waiting room. Instantly the doctor stiffened up, his glasses fogging over as he greeted the eldest Tendo daughter.

"Hello Kasumi, what a coincidence it is to meet you in a place like this."

Kasumi smiled and said, "Hello Doctor, I've come to return the book you lent me last week." She noticed the two teens and continued, "Ranma, Nabiki, I didn't know you were stopping by today."

Nabiki quickly started shoving Ranma to the door and replied, "Yea, just getting Ranma set up with a quick check up. We have to get to homework, so we'll see you later. Bye Sis." Once outside she breathed a huge sigh of relief and began to put some distance between them and the clinic.

"What was that all about," Ranma asked.

"Remember how I said he likes someone?"

Ranma thought for a moment and asked, "Kasumi?"

"Oh yeah," she continued, "ever since she was about sixteen. He's actually only a few years older then her. He's a real genius and graduated from med school at eighteen. He took over the clinic from his father and interns at the hospital every other day. It just started one day, she walks in, and he goes gaga. It's real dangerous to be around him like that if you aren't Kasumi."

"Why?"

Nabiki shivered, "He bends people…"

"You mean he…"

"I saw him twist one old lady into a pretzel. It took her three months in traction to recover. He doesn't even know he's doing it, his brain just takes a walk whenever she's around."

Ranma shivered, "Now that's scary."

Later that night, Ranma left his father sleeping in their room and went down to the dojo. He had thought over what the Doctor had told him, and decided that there was no time like the present to try it. He found the dojo dark and empty, and without turning the light on, he entered and sat in the middle.

Meditation had never really been one of his father's teachings, though Ranma had picked up the basics from the various schools they had visited over the years. It wasn't until his stay in the Amazon village that he had ever really been trained properly to meditate. Cologne had shown that a superior warrior had to both strong in mind and body to truly excel.

He took those teachings and put them to practice here, lowering his mind into a deep state of being, pulling everything he was inward. Time seemed to slow down, and for a while, Ranma was unsure he could do it, or may even simply fall asleep. Eventually though, he had closed everything off, no sight, sound, or sensation.

He stood nude on a field of nothing, and looked around. Soon he came upon what he was looking for. She was about twenty feet away, as nude as he was, her red hair unbound, and her wings stretched out, her eyes faintly glowing in the dark.

"Hello, Ranma," she said, oozing sensuality, "for the moment, you may call me Amnara."

"Nice to meet you, I guess," he told her.

She looked at him quizzically, "This is what you wanted, to find me, yes?"

"I'm not sure what I was looking for, I just wanted to get control back."

She gave a wicked smile, "So do I. But you are not going to let me take over, are you?" He shook his head and she smiled wider, "Then let's reduce this to the basics so you can understand. Only one of us is going back alive, and that one gets control." With that, she lunged, attacking him.

Meanwhile, Nabiki was also trying to meditate. Instead of turning inward, she was trying to harness her new abilities to reach out, skimming the dreams of those around her, learning what she could, and couldn't do. It had taken many tries, but she was ready for another attempt, and went for the closest target, her sister Akane in the next room.

She felt the brush of another mind, and opened her mind's eye to the dreamscape before her. It was an almost cartoonish grass field, and Nabiki swore that she heard some Disney music coming from nowhere. She would have thought the whole thing was just a cute dream, save for one thing. On top of the nearby hill, a child like Akane was dancing in a circle with a group of smiling cartoon mallets. Every now and then, she would grab one and use it to bash the plushy looking forms of Kuno, Ranma, and a dozen or so other boys as they randomly popped out of the ground. All the while, Akane laughed, enjoying the game and the day.

Nabiki pulled her mind back, and opened her eyes in the real world.

Shivering, she told the night, "There is something very wrong with that girl."

She cleared he mind, and once more reached out, seeking the next dream. This time she entered her father's mind, but mentally fled almost as quickly as she entered. The dream was of a time long ago, before the number of people in the house had been reduced to four. She had almost instantly sensed what her father was remembering in his dreams, and didn't want to dig up her own painful memories.

She decided to try Kasumi next, figuring that she would wind up in another cartoon like dream where Kasumi was the princess. Instead, she found herself in Dr. Tofu's clinic, where she heard a low grunting noise. She followed the noise into one of the examination rooms, where she saw the doctor tied to the examination table, stripped from the waist down. Riding on top of him was Kasumi wearing a leather corset, and holding a chain that led to a collar around Tofu's neck.

Nabiki boggled as she watched Kasumi bounce up and down, and almost dropped her jaw at what she heard.

Kasumi screamed out, "Good boy, my little slave…ohhh…more…I want more!" Tofu seemed invigorated and the pair's coupling intensified. Nabiki almost went limp after that, when she saw Kasumi tug on two other chains, pulling a nude dream Nabiki and girl-type Ranma into view.

"Pleasure your Mistress, you dirty little girls." The two girls both bent over and tending to Kasumi's breasts as she continued to ride the tied up doctor.

Nabiki had seen enough, and rapidly withdrew from the dream, breathing heavy. The experience had thrown her for a loop, and left her more then a little horny. The idea that her proper little housewife sister was a closet raging domination queen was almost too much to swallow, but it certainly explained Tofu's reaction to her, if even a fraction of it was true. After regaining her balance, she decide to find Ranma's dream, and try to see if she could actually participate, perhaps even spice it up a little. She reached out to the room Ranma shared with his father, but only sensed the lazy old man sleeping there. She did not want to see what he had in his mind, so she withdrew and looked elsewhere.

When she finally found him, it was distant, at the edge of her range, but the intensity of emotion pulled her in. Because of the physical distance, she could only sense what was happening, and that was only that…

"Ranma's in danger."

She instantly snapped awake, and jumped from bed. Pulling on a bathrobe, she barreled outside to the dojo to find Ranma sitting in the center. On his face was an expression of pain. She sat down across from him and closed her eyes in an attempt to enter, but she could only come close enough to hear the sound of battle, and a few exchanges of words.

A high voice that Nabiki recognized as Ranma's girl voice said, "Face it, you can't beat me, and you never will. You've only touched the tiniest amount of power I can channel."

A loud explosion could be heard, and Ranma's male voice shouted back, "Doesn't matter, I'll never let you win. I won't let you hurt anyone."

Nabiki pulled back. She couldn't get any closer to the conflict, but she knew that Ranma needed help. She could feel him tire, and knew that if the demon won this battle, Ranma may not be able to recover from it.

"I hope this works," she said, reaching over to Ranma, and placing her hands on either side of his head. She then opened herself completely, as she had only once before, and dove into Ranma's mind.

Ranma and Amnara were evenly matched as far as skill went, but Ranma knew he was at a disadvantage. He was stronger, but she was lightning quick and was backed by her demon nature, and for every blow she shrugged off, two more landed on him that felt like a ton of bricks. In addition, she had started throwing balls of demonic fire at him, and he was barely able to dodge them as he looked for any opening. There was also the distraction of her jiggling anatomy, which she knew distracted him, so she made it jiggle that much more.

Her speed and powers were wearing him down, and he knew that for all his bluster, it was only a matter of time. He cursed himself for getting into a fight he was in no way ready for, but he had to continue. If this monster got out it would drain Nabiki, Shampoo, and anyone it could get its hands on. This was what he feared becoming, and this was why he could not lose.

Suddenly he felt a rush, and one thing entered his mind.

"_You won't fight alone."_

Amnara paused as she felt Ranma regain his strength, and saw the shadow of a female form melt into him. Soon, Ranma was looking stronger then when the fight had started.

"That psychic bitch, Nabiki," she growled out, and charged.

Nabiki was inside Ranma, feeling what he felt, seeing what he saw, and she began to use that to their advantage. Ranma was no slouch as far as tactics went, but she could think outside the box, finding ideas in the most unlikely of places, and she added that to Ranma's own combat sense.

Ranma saw the flaming fist flying at him, and grabbed for the wrist, avoiding the flame and spinning the demon past him in a classic judo throw. Before Amnara could recover, he was attacking. Kicking and punching in a random combination that kept the demon off balance until she left an opening. Ranma then launched a monster uppercut that blew past her defenses, sending the redhead into the air. When she fell, Ranma was on top of her, driving a knee into the small of her back and sitting down to keep her pinned.

Nabiki knew that Ranma didn't want to kill, even in his own mind, so she looked for another way to end this while Ranma concentrated on keeping the demon immobilized. Soon she came to a simple answer, and Ranma reached for the demon's wings. He began to use his fingertips to rub lightly along the leading edge of the leathery wings, brushing along their surface, and dancing across the membrane.

The redhead stopped grunting in discomfort from being pinned, and started to chuckle at the sensation shooting into her back. Soon the chuckle dissolved into giggles, then melted into laughter.

"Stop it," she cried out, "No fair!"

Ranma answered with a little smirk, "Anything Goes, remember?"

The redhead was soon crying between bursts of loud laughter, unable to control herself under the onslaught. Her lungs were burning, and her head was swimming, so she did the only thing she could think of.

"I yield!"

Ranma stopped, but kept a light grip on her wings to let her know he meant business, "What was that?"

Amnara turned her head to see him out the corner of her eye, "I surrender. I know you aren't going to kill me, and I can't win, so you get what you want, me, under your control."

"How do I know you won't just jump up and drain me?"

She rolled her eyes and said, "I am you, dummy. I can't drain myself."

Nabiki gave Ranma the go ahead, and he stood, releasing the downed succubus. She stood and looked Ranma up and down. Ranma was about to cover himself, but Nabiki gave him encouragement and pride in his appearance, so he stood tall. Amnara nodded.

"The two of you are formidable as one. I'm glad I don't have to face you again after this."

Ranma asked, "How did you shoot those fireballs at me?"

The demon laughed, "You have to figure that one out yourself. As I said, you've barely scratched the surface of what I can do."

Ranma shrugged, and he and Nabiki were about to leave, when the redhead stopped their form.

"You sure you don't want to stay for a bit?"

Ranma looked confused and asked, "What for?"

Amnara spread her stance slightly, and put her hands on her hips. She thrust her chest out and struck a sexy pose, "What do you think, stud. You'll never get a chance like this again to have me, and I'm sure Nabiki will enjoy riding behind your eyes for this."

Ranma stood in shock as the implications ran through his head. His sexy girl side was offering herself to him, and Nabiki was so far in his mind that they were almost one person. He could feel her curiosity as they examined the succubus and wondered how she would feel about it.

Nabiki decided, and opened herself completely to Ranma's senses, giving him a mental shove in the direction of the redhead girl. This time, there was no confusion, no conflict, he knew what to do. He gathered the smaller girl into an embrace, her breasts pressing into his chest and she lifted her head to kiss him.

Their lovemaking was fast, powerful, and wild. Between Nabiki's encouragement and Amnara's reactions, Ranma found himself reduced to an animalistic frenzy. In the end that seemed to be just what the redhead wanted as she became more and more pliable in his embrace.

The two halves of one person rode the euphoric high, and for a moment all three, Ranma, Nabiki and Amnara were as one. As they slowly recovered, each experiencing mild shivers of post orgasmic bliss, Amnara looked up at Ranma.

"Soon, you will discover many things about your powers," she said, "And know that in the end, you will be loved by few, and hated by many, for tonight you have become a true succubus in my form." With that she slowly faded away. Soon Ranma was alone in his own mind with Nabiki inside him. She also began to withdraw, letting him know that she would be there when he awoke.

As they returned to the real world, they looked at each other, sharing the closeness of the moment. Nabiki lowered her hands from his head, but he caught them, and pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you," he whispered into her ear.

She shifted to sit in his lap and mold her body to his and answered, "Anytime. How do you feel?"

"Whole."

They looked into each others eyes, and knew the other's pain, loneliness, joy and hope. They shared a tender kiss, and Nabiki found that Ranma was just as good a kisser in his guy form as he was as a girl. They sat like that for a time, until Nabiki started to giggle lightly in the dark.

Ranma asked, "What?"

Nabiki stopped for a moment and replied, a smile in her voice, "That had to be the most narcissistic thing I've ever seen."

Ranma looked at her, not comprehending, and she burst into another fit of giggles. He thought about questioning her further, but shrugged his shoulders instead. He figured that it was a joke he just wasn't ready for.

As the two teens settled in for the night, both feeling a little more at ease, another figure was walking through the night. The young man wore a tattered bandana, and a monumentally large backpack. He read a road sign as he walked along the side of a highway, and it declared 'Tokyo Exchange: Nerima Next Right'.

He gave a smile as he thought of his two quests. The first was to find Ranma Saotome and finish the battle that had begun two years ago. The other was to find the beautiful Amazon redhead that had fled China, and make sure she was safe. He had seen her once after Jusenkyo, she was jumping into the ocean with her pet panda, obviously on the run from the oppressive village that the Amazons lived in.

It was hard to decide which goal was greater to him, revenge or his duty to see to the safety of a young, attractive girl. Then he remembered her almost flashing him, and all thoughts of Ranma dribbled out his nose.

He asked the sky, "Is this what it is to be in love?"

Suddenly a car honked at him, startling him out of his reverie. The driver let fly with a long string of curses in English, flipped Ryoga off, and drove around him.

Ryoga looked around to get his bearings, and walked over to a convenience store. Two young men leaned against the wall, one tall and wearing a backwards baseball cap to cover his long hair, the other was shorter, with a beard and wore a heavy trench coat.

In English he asked, "Do you know the way to Nerima?"

The taller one answered, "Dude, don't know a Nerima, but Jersey City is back the other way." The shorter one pointed back along the road. Ryoga bowed politely and headed back. After he left, the short one shrugged his shoulders and gave a questioning look at his friend.

"No shit, man. He must be from fucking Canada or something." They continued their vigil, leaning against the storefront as Ryoga disappeared from sight. An hour later, they saw him pass again, this time coming from the opposite direction wearing a parka. An hour after that, Ryoga walked out of the store wearing a Hawaiian shirt, looked around and headed down an ally.

They blinked and the tall one asked, "Christ, Bob, what you put in my weed this morning?" The other shrugged and pulled out a small bag of joints and tossed them in the trash. "Good call, there's something wrong with that shit."

To be continued.


	8. Revenge is Best Served with Cheesecake

Author's Note: Ranma and friends were created by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I do not own, rent, or lease them. This was written purely for the entertainment of all of the Ranma fans out there. This work may contain material of a sexual nature, only those 21 and older are legally allowed to read, so check the ID's at the door.

P.S.: for Janice.

Genma and Soun were enjoying an old pastime, a game of Go. But the rules went out the window with the two masters of Indiscriminate Grappling. The game was no longer played only on the board, but also in the head, looking for openings in placement as well as mindset. Deception, distraction and tactical thinking were the keys to Anything Goes Go.

In other words, they were both cheating like crazy.

Genma was about to unleash the dreaded 'Is That Elvis?' maneuver, when his son, in female guise, streaked by buck naked. Genma was about to yell at the boy for his actions, until he saw that Soun's head had rolled back in an all too familiar way. Even when they were young, Soun could not handle women running around nude. As he began moving pieces, he wondered how his friend had ever managed to stay aware long enough to have three daughters.

He had arranged the board to his liking, when his son came rushing through again, leaping over Genma's head. He was distracted by this, and failed to get out of the way when those three Tendo girls came barreling through in hot pursuit of the bouncy redheaded girl.

A moment later, a sodden panda sat back down and began to reset the board. When Soun came too, it held up a sign saying, 'Same Shit, Different Day.'

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 8

Revenge is Best Served with Cheesecake

"Come back here, Ranma," called Nabiki as she chased after the neo-girl. Fortunately she was ahead of her sisters, so she could block any attempts by Akane to smash Ranma flat for running around au natural. She and Kasumi were chasing Ranma for a more practical end result, Nabiki just wished that her older sister had picked out a less frilly dress then the one they had shown Ranma.

Soon they had the redhead backed into a corner, and Kasumi approached even with Nabiki, to block Akane's mallet. She held up a yellow sundress with ruffled trim, and Ranma backed away further, flattening herself against the wall.

"It's just for the weekend, Ranma," Kasumi soother the girl.

Ranma looked at the offending garment and stated, "You are not getting me into that, broken heater or not."

Nabiki pointed at the cornered girl and began, "Face it, Ranma, you and your dad have been using more hot water in a week then we normally do in a month. Every time one of you takes a dive, it costs us, and sooner or later, that old heater was going to give out."

"Why can't I just wear my own clothes," Ranma whined.

Kasumi's expression darkened a little at that, "Your old clothes are being held together by hope and dirt. It is unhealthy for you to wear them until they are clean and mended. You will simply have to adapt."

Nabiki suddenly had an inspiration, and moved to whisper into Ranma's ear. At first, Ranma violently shook her head, but Nabiki kept whispering.

Finally Ranma said to Kasumi, "All right, gimme that thing." She pulled it on over her head and adjusted it.

"How is it," Kasumi asked.

Ranma looked down at the dress, "I look like a parfait, and the top is squeezing me." The girls saw that she was right on both counts. Her hair added a strawberry to the top of the confection like dress, and her nipples were pronounced through the material of the top.

"Ahhrrgg," yelled Akane, "not only is the pervert wearing my dress, but now he calls me flat?! I'll kill him!" Ranma had to jump over the girls to avoid Akane's charge, and the two began to run around the house once again.

"We should get Ranma a bra, it wouldn't do for her to show herself like that in public," Kasumi commented.

Nabiki smiled, "Leave it to me. You want to come with us when I take her shopping?"

Kasumi blushed and headed to the kitchen, "I'm sorry, I have too much work to do today."

After Akane had worn herself out chasing Ranma, the redhead retreated to Nabiki's room.

There she told her lover, "I still don't know about this. I mean, sure I could use a few more clothes, but I don't have the money to get them. The three outfits I have are all I can afford."

Nabiki sat on her bed and said, "Don't worry; I have a little racket to get us money hand over fist."

"And that is?"

Nabiki gave her evil smile and replied, "Kuno." Ranma shuddered, but before she could protest Nabiki continued, "I've been selling cheesecake photos of Akane to him all year. Nothing naked, just action shots of her fighting, or if I'm lucky, something a little hotter. He goes nuts over them and pays me a thousand yen a pop."

"That's terrible," Ranma said, "She's your own sister, and you egg him on like that."

Nabiki gave a hard stare and said softly, "He would chase her anyway, and she doesn't help by letting it go on as long as she has. I think Kuno gets a kick out of their fights; after all it's the only thing he's good at. And now an exotic beauty appears from Amazon China and kicks the holy crap out of him. You just picked up a stalker for life."

"But that doesn't mean we have to encourage him," Ranma whined.

Nabiki sighed, "How about this, we take a few cheesecake shots of you and offer them to all those guys at school. Think of all the energy you could collect by walking down the hall, especially if they know you like other girls."

"Why are you doing this," Ranma asked.

Nabiki sighed and fell back to lay on the bed, "This house has been falling apart for years. Daddy hasn't taught a class in five years, Akane goes through cinder blocks like rice balls, and then you and your dad show up and break the water heater. The only real income we have is my little network. I was trying to talk Akane into doing an amateur photo book, but she thinks the idea is sick, even though we could make a lot of money of it."

Ranma flopped into Nabiki's desk chair at the weight of the words. She hadn't realized the difficulties the Tendo family faced. She looked down at the yellow dress and thought, _Does this qualify as helping the weak, is this what I'm supposed to do with this curse._

"I don't know if I can do something like that, Nabiki," she said quietly.

Nabiki rolled on to one shoulder and looked at her lover, "One moment you're an exhibitionist, the next you're shy. I'm having a little trouble figuring you out."

Ranma shrugged, "I'm still trying to figure me out. I'm compromising between a shy boy and a sexy girl, and the middle ground is a little vague."

Nabiki sat up and laughed, "Sounds like a little wisdom sneaking out through the cracks, be careful. Now shall we go take care of our deal?"

"Only if you keep your end," smirked Ranma. With that the two girls stood and headed out. Downstairs they announced they were going out, and saw Kasumi in the kitchen vigorously chopping vegetables with a focused look.

On the way to the shopping arcade, Ranma and Nabiki kept quiet, each lost in their own thoughts. They arrived at a small clothing store, and Ranma hesitated for a moment before Nabiki gave her a slight push to enter. Inside, women's garments from the conservative to the casual were arranged on racks, and Ranma was dragged around by Nabiki in her first female shopping experience.

Nabiki teased, coerced, and generally made Ranma try on a dozen outfits ranging from a formal black mini-dress complete with high heel shoes, to a pair of tight low rise jeans and a midriff bearing tee shirt that proclaimed 'Bad Girl'.

Ranma rejected each outfit simply saying, "How am I supposed to fight in this?"

Even as each outfit was put away, Nabiki felt no less determined, and Ranma just wanted to be rid of the horrible yellow sundress. After three stores though, both girls were a little frustrated. Nabiki was feeling frustrated because Ranma had unknowingly put on a fashion show for her, and she was almost salivating over a few of the outfits. Ranma felt like she was being pushed around without a discernable goal.

It was in the fourth shop that Ranma found two outfits that she didn't balk at. The first was for special occasions. It was a blue silk dress cut long in a Chinese style with a slit running up each side, an open back, and silver edging for a finishing touch. The blue matched Ranma's eyes, and the dress clung to her form, showing off every curve.

As Ranma looked at herself in the store mirror she quietly told Nabiki, "Shampoo had a dress like this in the village. And the open back means that I can use my wings if I have to."

"Trust you to find something practical without realizing it makes you drop dead sexy," Nabiki joked.

"Wanna bet," Ranma said, and shifted her hips, stretching her right leg out slightly to one side, placing on her left hand on her hip, reaching upwards with the other and thrusting her chest out. The image burned itself into Nabiki's mind as her jaw dropped open.

All Nabiki could say to that was, "Hubba hubba."

The other outfit Ranma picked, and wore out of the store, was a simple black pleated miniskirt and red button up shirt that paralleled her clothing in male form.

"And I can fight in this," Ranma said, demonstrating by doing a high kick. This also reminded Nabiki to pick out some underwear for the natural redhead. A pair of plain white panties and a simple bra were all Ranma would agree to at the moment, but Nabiki managed to talk her into a high cut pair of panties for the Chinese dress, saying that anything else ruined the lines.

Getting the bra on was a task in and of itself, as Ranma proved to be all thumbs with the garment. Exasperated, Nabiki finally helped the smaller girl get all the straps in the right place, and hooked the back for her. As she looked up and into the dressing room mirror, Nabiki saw Ranma's already considerable cleavage had been enhanced to the nth degree by even this simple bra.

She reached around and ran her fingers lightly down the line of cleavage, causing Ranma to shudder in her arms. She then lightly moved her hands across the cloth incasing the large spheres of soft flesh, tracing their shape and brushing across the protuberances that indicated where Ranma's nipples were.

"See," she whispered into Ranma's ear, "They take a little of the strain off, and make you look hot at the same time."

Ranma would have replied, but her mouth was dry from watching and feeling Nabiki caress her breasts in the mirror. Soon Nabiki pulled away, and Ranma whimpered lightly at the loss of contact.

Nabiki laughed and tossed Ranma her new shirt, "Get dressed, you minx." Ranma reluctantly did so, leaving the top two buttons of her shirt undone at Nabiki's request. She looked into the mirror again, and saw a cute teenager showing considerable leg and cleavage.

Ranma sighed, "I guess I do look good, but you better come through on this deal."

Nabiki chuckled and said, "Next stop, all you can eat ice cream."

Nabiki paid for the outfits, using a good chunk of her pocket cash. _It's worth it to see Ranma's ass move like that,_ she thought as the walked down the arcade. She was about to give it a good slap, when Ranma stiffened up and pushed her back.

Out of an alleyway, a boy came charging along. He yelled, "Where the hell am I now!" He almost ran off again when he turned to see Ranma and Nabiki staring at him. His bandana clad head whipped around, checking his surroundings, and then looked at them again. Slowly his face spread into a wide smile showing a pair of wicked fangs that slightly unnerved the two teens.

"I can't believe I finally found you," the boy said. He walked over to them and began rubbing the back of his head nervously and blushing, "You probably won't remember, but I saw you in China a while back."

Ranma shook her head, and watched as the boy's face fell.

"I was trying to catch up to you after you were exiled, but you jumped into the ocean with your pet panda, and I couldn't keep up," he continued, "I wanted to find you and see if you were all right."

Ranma looked puzzled, "I wasn't exiled from anywhere, and I really don't remember you."

"It was when you still had your wings…"

Ranma slapped her hand over his mouth and Nabiki looked around to make sure no one had overheard. Together they dragged the boy back into the alley and pushed him to the wall.

Ranma growled, "Why not yell it out to the city? Now who the hell are you, and what do you want?"

Wide eyed, the boy stuttered out, "Ryoga Hibiki, I was looking for an old enemy when I saw you in China, and I'm still searching. I just wanted to know if the Amazons hurt you or ripped out your wings or anything."

Nabiki glanced down the alley and then asked Ryoga, "Why do you think she has wings?"

He blurted out, "I thought she was an angel."

Ranma and Nabiki both slumped against the opposite wall in shock. Ryoga looked at them oddly as they began to lightly laugh. After a moment, the girls caught their breath and stood back up.

Ranma leaned in and quietly told Ryoga, "Wrong direction, I'm no angel."

He blushed and asked in a confused voice, "But I thought you…well…your shirt was open…and I thought…"

Nabiki chuckled as Ranma turned bright red, "A demon for less then a week and you were flashing the boys, huh?"

"Cut it out," Ranma whined and turned to the boy, "I don't know what you saw, but it was a mistake. I'm not an angel, and I don't think I'm what you think I am. I'm not interested in guys."

"Huh?"

Ranma's shoulders slumped, "I'm Lithuanian."

Ryoga's face brightened and he switched to Russian, "I didn't know. I'm sorry."

Ranma stared blankly at the boy, and Nabiki interjected, "I think she meant lesbian."

Going back to Japanese, Ryoga asked, "What's that?"

"You're not her type," Nabiki said, and lightly kissed Ranma on the lips. Ryoga froze in place, his eyes going as big as saucers. Seeing the boy knocked out of commission, Nabiki began to pull Ranma out of the alley away from the strange young man. At the end of the alley, Ranma turned back.

She called, "You said you were after an enemy, who is it?"

Ryoga came out of shock and answered, "Ranma Saotome."

Ranma stiffened and started, "I'm…"

Nabiki quickly covered Ranma's mouth and continued, "If you go to Furinkan High School tomorrow, we may be able to arrange for him to be there."

Ryoga's face lit up again, "Thank you so much! Soon Ranma, I'll have my revenge!" With that, the fanged boy charged off, running through a wooden fence at the other end of the alley.

Ranma freed herself from Nabiki's grasp and asked, "Why did you stop me from telling him who I was?"

"You really want to go blurting out that you're not only the dream girl that just dumped him, but also his enemy that he chased all the way to China? All that would do is get him even madder," Nabiki shrugged and asked, "What did you do to this guy, anyway?"

Ranma stood and tilted her head to one side then the other, thinking hard. Nabiki felt a thousand thoughts running around inside the cute redhead's mind, but none of them led to Ryoga. Finally Nabiki gave up and led Ranma to the nearby ice cream parlor.

They sat and halfway through her second sundae, Ranma exclaimed, "Now I remember. Ryoga went to the middle school I went to for a few weeks about a year ago. He was the school martial arts champ, and I challenged him all the time to test myself. He's one of the few people I ever met that could keep up with me."

Nabiki quirked an eyebrow and asked, "What about showing him your boobs?"

"That I have no idea about," Ranma confessed, "It must have been shortly after I took the plunge, but I don't remember ever seeing him there."

Nabiki sighed, "Whatever the case, he seems to have it out for you, and over more then a few challenges. Meanwhile, he's got a big crush on your girl side, not that I blame him."

Ranma shivered and looked down into her ice cream, "Someone out to get me I can deal with, boys are another matter all together."

"Careful or you'll start to sound like Akane," Nabiki teased. "Now then, on to the final store."

Ranma looked at the small pile of bags they had collected and asked, "Haven't we got enough stuff? It's not like I need a full wardrobe here."

"I know, but there are one or two more things I want to pick out for both of us. After all we did all this shopping and I haven't gotten anything for myself yet," Nabiki said as she gave Ranma a predatory smile.

After the ice cream was finished, and with a cute pout from Nabiki and Ranma caused the counter boy to swoon and tear up the bill, the two girls went back to shopping. Ranma figured that Nabiki wanted to stop at another clothing store, and became worried when Nabiki dragged her towards a store with lingerie displayed in the window. Thanks to the earlier crash course in putting on a bra, Ranma understood the basic function, but as she saw the skimpy, frilly, and provocative under things in the window, she started to lightly sweat.

Inside was even worse for Ranma, as there were racks and hangers and mannequins all covered in everything sexy. She was shocked to see Nabiki walk right into the middle of it all and call a friendly greeting to the sales girl.

"_Don't worry,"_ Nabiki's voice rang in her head, _"It's perfectly normal for girls to come in here."_ With that reassurance, and a self reminder that she was a sex demon, after all, Ranma began to look around. At first she dismissed the whole thing as some girly nonsense, but then she remembered how Ryoga had blushed when he saw her acting sexy, and came to a realization.

_Appearance can give you power._ She began to think of the delicate clothing as a form of psychological battle gear, and using her succubus and warrior instincts to evaluate the skimpy outfits. She discarded selections because of durability; others would have restricted her movements or wings. She soon lost sight of Nabiki as she continued through the racks.

Towards the back of the store, the materials began to change into something she felt would be better suited, and she found a few items that were cut for more flexibility. Then she saw it, and both as a demon and a warrior, she knew it would be perfect. Summoning the attendant, she retrieved the outfit, and proceeded to the dressing room to check its fit, and functionality.

Getting the outfit on was a small challenge, especially figuring out how the top worked, but soon she had it adjusted to fit snugly in all the right places.

"You in there, Ranma?"

Nabiki's voice came through the door, and Ranma opened it a crack to see what she wanted. Nabiki wore a lacey black bra and panty combo that shined of fine silk. She did a small pirouette in front of Ranma's wide eyes, and Ranma had to brace herself to keep from falling over.

"Yuki said you picked out something," Nabiki said, "So lets see it."

Ranma stood, took a deep breath, and opened the door.

Nabiki stumbled back to lean against a chair as her breath was taken from her by Ranma's choice. The black leather corset hugged her body close, causing her breasts to rise and fall with every breath, and the black leather thong barely covered her mound. Nabiki sat down and began to fan herself lightly. The clerk, who had come by to check on then, was also struck dumb by the sight.

Ranma watched Nabiki go into a full body blush, and also saw that the clerk was blushing and asked, "Does it look ok? I mean its fine for flexibility," she demonstrated this by stretching a leg up to parallel her body, almost touching her head. She lowered her leg and continued, "And the leather should hold up, but I don't know if I can judge how it looks right."

"Yowza," was all Nabiki could manage.

The clerk, Yuki by her nametag, thought for a moment and added, "If you want the full look, there are a few things to finish it."

Nabiki shock her head in disbelief, "What could make that look better?" Yuki just smiled and disappeared back into the store. A moment later she bustled into the changing room with a small bundle for Ranma, and shut the girl back into the change room. It took Ranma a few more minutes to figure out the additions, and Nabiki took the time to change back to her normal clothes, setting her own purchases to one side.

Then Ranma came out, and she had to sit down again, using every fiber of her will not to jump the leather bound redhead right there. Ranma had added a pair of elbow length gloves and thigh high two inch heeled boots, as well as a small leather chocker around her neck. Ranma stood a little uncertainly on the heeled boots, but figured that she would stand eye level with Nabiki in them.

"Now that's sexy," Yuki chimed in as Nabiki stared at Ranma.

"Maybe too much," Nabiki retorted, wiping a bit of drool from her mouth.

Ranma blushed lightly at the reactions, and turned to look into the mirror. She began to understand how effective her outfit was as she saw herself. If she were male at the moment, she knew she would be visibly aroused at the sight.

Nabiki felt the warmth of Ranma's emotions rush in, and turned to Yuki, "She'll take it." Yuki went to the counter, and as soon as she was out of sight Nabiki asked, "What does it look like with your wings?"

Ranma looked to make sure no one else would see, and let her wings emerge from her back. As they spread out, Nabiki saw that the leather of the outfit matched the color of Ranma's demonic wings perfectly. The resulting image was one out of nightmares and wet dreams as Nabiki thought, _That is what a succubus looks like. If Ranma ever realizes the effect she could have on people, there would be no stopping her._

She sensed Yuki returning and quickly sent to Ranma, _"Company coming."_

Ranma closed the dressing room door again and began to change back to street clothes, hiding her wings once more. Yuki handed Nabiki the invoice for both outfits, and caused the seated girl to wince lightly. Nabiki reached into her purse and retrieved a large stack of bills, handing them over reluctantly.

The girls then returned home with their purchases, worn out from the busy day. As they sat down to dinner, Nabiki saw the different reactions to Ranma's more feminine look. Akane looked torn between illness and anger, leaning more towards anger after Ranma offhandedly commented that she was better built.

Genma was enraged that Ranma wore a skirt, but before he could attack, Nabiki simply said, "You break it, you buy it." The panda man judged the cost of the clothes he was about to tear off his transgendered son, and resigned himself to sitting back down and bemoaning his 'ungrateful offspring'.

Soun actually helped here, saying, "I have three daughters, my friend, and I tell you from experience; never come between a woman and her wardrobe. It can only end in misery." Both adults nodded at this sage advice, while the girls at the table rolled their eyes.

Kasumi seemed much more relaxed then this morning. Nabiki simply asked how her day went as she set food on the table, and the elder Tendo girl answered, "I visited Doctor Tofu today and got a new book to study. He's always helping me out; maybe I should make him some cookies or something." Nabiki saw Kasumi's normal smile turn into something more meaningful, but it quickly faded back. She knew that Kasumi was up to something, but for the moment let it go, knowing that inquiring about it in the wrong way could lead to problems in the household. After dinner, Ranma pulled her aside.

Quietly, the redhead said, "I want to show you something tonight, as kind of a thank you for today. Can you be ready around midnight?"

"Sure," Nabiki answered, "but I'm not sure how you can top your little fashion show today." Ranma simply smiled and gave her a quick kiss, then headed out to the dojo for a practice session with both their fathers, preparing for her confrontation with Ryoga.

Later that night, Nabiki sat in bed reading. She almost jumped at a tap at the window, and looked to see the outline of Ranma in the night. Pulling her robe around her she opened the window and saw Ranma crouched on the sill. She wore her new leather outfit, and her wings were open wide, crating the illusion of a predator in the shadows. Nabiki's eyes traveled from the leather encased legs inward to Ranma's tightly covered sex, up to her breasts held in place by the black corset. Their eyes finally met, and in the darkness of night, Nabiki saw the faint blue glow of the demon within.

She was about to fall to her knees at the erotic sight, but Ranma reached out and took her hand. The leather gloves only added to the sensation of being taken by the lustful beast, but Nabiki saw into Ranma's mind, and knew that the redhead had something else in store for her.

Ranma asked, "Are you ready?" Nabiki found her throat dry so simply nodded in reply. Ranma pulled her in close, gathering Nabiki into her arms through the window, and then pushed off into a leap.

Nabiki felt the warmth of Ranma's body on one side, and a rush of cool evening air on the other as they began to climb. She heard the low flaps of the demon girl's wings as she sensed the ground fall away, and closed her eyes tight at the sensation. After a moment the sensation slowed, and all that could be felt was the stillness of the night.

"Open your eyes, Nabs," Ranma said in a soft voice. She kept a tight grip on the other girl to give her some security, because she knew that what Nabiki would see may be a little upsetting at first.

Nabiki finally did open her eyes, and at first could only look into Ranma's. She saw Ranma's encouraging smile, and felt her lover's support, and peeked around. At first, she could only reel at how high up they were, and then she saw something that took her breath away.

Stretched out below them were the lights of Nerima, from the sparse residential lights at this late hour, to the bright streetlights of the business areas, all the way to the antenna lights on top of the high school. Beyond those were other lights and she realized they were other districts, kilometers off in the distance. Her head traversed around, and her mouth opened in wonder as she realized that from up here, they could see almost all of Tokyo.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

"I come up here sometimes, only at night so I'm not seen," Ranma told her, then moved them in the air to face another direction. "When we were in China, we stayed mostly to the rural areas and I could fly around in daylight without attracting attention. At night, however, it all looked so empty, only the sky had lights. Now here above the city, I can see both."

She reached out an arm and pointed skyward, Nabiki followed the direction, and saw another sight of wonder. Far above the glare of the streetlights, she saw the stars twinkling in the night, and below them the city mirrored the effect. In an infinite sea of darkness, it seemed all the light in the world was shot through pinpricks in the land and sky. Nabiki turned back to see Ranma smile.

"Welcome to my world," the redhead said quietly.

Nabiki snuggled in closer, pressing their bodies together and whispered into Ranma's ear, "Thank you for sharing it with me." They shared a deep kiss, each pouring all the emotion of the moment into their action.

Slowly they drifted back down to earth, landing atop the clock tower of Furinkan. Nabiki stepped back out of the arms of her lover, and twirled on one leg, exhilarated at the experience. She stopped and looked out over her now small neighborhood. She felt a cool breeze on her front, and realized that during the flight her robe had come open, but she didn't care. She could see all of Nerima, but no one save her lover could see her in the darkness of night.

Ranma watched as Nabiki let her robe drop to the roof of the school, exposing herself to the world and spreading her arms wide.

Nabiki looked over her shoulder and said, "It was like I was the Queen of all creation up there. I don't know why you ever come down."

Ranma continued to smile and walked up behind the nude girl, wrapping her arms around Nabiki and whispering in her ear, "Because I have people I care about down here, and they make me feel more alive then a bunch of lights."

They spent time simply gazing into the night, and sharing each other's warmth. After a while, Ranma spread her wings again, lifting them aloft. They flew from rooftop to shadow all the way back to the Tendo compound, landing on the roof there. Gently, Ranma lowered Nabiki back into her room, and then perched again on the sill.

"I hope you liked what I showed you tonight," Ranma said.

Nabiki nodded and leaned in close, giving Ranma another deep kiss. They held the kiss for a great length until Nabiki finally leaned back for air. She drew a hand along Ranma's cheek and looked into her blue eyes.

"You have a big fight tomorrow, but after, I'll be sure to congratulate you properly," she said. "Good night, Ranma."

Smiling, Ranma leapt from the window, and Nabiki watched her shadowed form swoop along the outside of the house to land behind the dojo. Moments later she saw Ranma, her red shirt standing out against the lawn, come around the corner and reenter the house.

She returned to her abandoned bed, preparing to dream about the memorable night. She was about to climb in, when she looked down at her nude body and came to a realization.

"Oh, damn," she told the dark, "I dropped my robe back at school." She shook her head, knowing that she was so lost in the moment that she didn't care. Resolving to retrieve her lost garment in the morning, she lay down and drifted off to a content sleep.

The next day Ranma stood in the school yard, once more in his male guise. He held a resolved pose, arms crossed and a determined look etched on his face. He had now held that pose for eight hours.

Nabiki walked out into the field and asked, "How long are you going to wait for him?"

Ranma almost lost his resolve and sighed, "I finally remembered something else. The last challenge between me and Ryoga was supposed to be right before I left for China. We agreed to have one last fight to settle our issues, and it would be in the empty lot behind his house."

"So?"

Ranma winced, "Ryoga got lost." Nabiki looked at Ranma like he had three heads and gestured for him to continue. "He had trouble going from homeroom to the gym without winding up in Shinjuku. I waited in that lot for three days before my dad dragged me off for my whirlwind tour of damp curse holes." Ranma hung his head and finished, "Ryoga always took our fights way too seriously, and he probably thinks I did it to insult him or something."

Nabiki patted the boy's shoulder and asked, "He can't be that bad, can he?" Ranma let out a long breath and nodded. Nabiki gulped and saw that Ranma was not kidding around and asked again, "How long are you going to wait?"

"Until it's over," was his only reply.

Meanwhile Ryoga was trudging through snow. He had only just left the research outpost that had found him and given him a little hot chocolate to hold off the cold. He wasn't sure how he found them, but it gave him a chance to practice his French and see penguins for the first time.

He stumbled over the top of a hill and shucked off his heavy coat, breaking out his machete as the jungle loomed around him. By his reckoning, he was halfway across Nerima and would be at the high school as soon as he passed through the desert and made a turn at Baker Street, and then it would be a straight shot over the Golden Gate Bridge.

He chuckled to him self and told the surrounding vegetation, "Two or three days and vengeance will finally be mine. Just you wait Ranma!"

To be continued.


	9. The Battle of Rage and Lust

Author's Note: Ranma and friends were created by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I do not own, rent, or lease them. This was written purely for the entertainment of all of the Ranma fans out there. This work may contain material of a sexual nature, only those 21 and older are legally allowed to read, so check the ID's at the door.

P.S.: for Janice.

Ranma stood vigil in the schoolyard. It was all he had done for five days, taking obligatory breaks for food and restroom. He had attended class, but kept an eye on the empty field through the window, and had even gone as far as pitching a tent so he could stay through the night. Nabiki and even Akane had visited him, questioning his motives, but each time he answered them that it was an obligation.

"My old man took me away before we could settle our differences once and for all. I won't let that happen again," was the beginning and end of the argument.

It rained on the third day, and even that didn't stop the pigtailed martial artist from his watch. He simply retreated inside his tent and emerged with a poncho to continue the vigil.

When Kuno attacked him, the kendoist was dealt with in an efficient form that left no argument that Ranma meant business.

The only thing that kept Nabiki from dragging Ranma off to a psychiatrist was the talks they shared at night. They had spent long hours telling each other about their childhoods, the trials and hopes of youth.

It was on the fifth day that Ryoga arrived.

Ranma stood in the center of the yard, having completed his daily exercises and katas. He saw Ryoga being led by an unnerved looking student who pointed out the waiting Saotome and ran in the opposite direction to get away from the serious looking boys. Ryoga walked up, and Ranma nodded at his one time friend.

"You know why I'm here, Ranma?"

"To finish the fight my dad took me away from."

Ryoga snarled and let out a low chuckle, "For running out like a coward, sure that's why this started. Now, for everything you did to me, I'm going to kill you."

Ranma shook his head, "I don't know what you're talking about, but I don't intend to die today." He dropped into a combat crouch and waved the other boy forward.

"Let's do this."

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 9

The Battle of Rage and Lust

Nabiki, Akane and a good portion of the student population sat on the embankment surrounding the field as the two martial artists squared off. Nabiki wore an indifferent expression, but her inner agitation was evident by the twitching of her right hand in time with the action on the field.

Her eyes never leaving the field, she asked her sister, "How good do you think this Ryoga is, Akane?"

Akane smirked, "Setting odds already? I just hope he trashes Ranma so you don't have to be bothered any more."

Nabiki turned away to glare at Akane, "That's the last, do you get me? The last time you bad mouth Ranma. If you ever thought about the crap you've been going on about, you'd realize you've been a real bitch to him for no good reason. And if you keep it up, you may piss me off."

Akane shrank back at the venom in her sisters voice, and watched as Nabiki turned back to the fight, her eyes tracking as much of Ranma's movements as possible. She had never seen her sister as intense as this and began to wonder if Nabiki actually had feelings for the cross gendered boy. She decided that going against her sister would not be a good choice when she was this focused on something, and began to pay attention to the fight.

After only a few moments, she spoke again, "That Ryoga kid has the power advantage, but Ranma's faster. Depending on endurance, it could go either way." Nabiki nodded acknowledgement of the information and added it to what she already knew. She had briefly brushed Ryoga's mind before the fight began to test his emotional state, and was rewarded with more anger and sadness then she had ever experienced. To balance it out, she had turned to Ranma's mind, and felt only determination and a little confusion over Ryoga's reasons.

While she pondered the emotional drives of the boys, they were engaged in a fierce hand to hand battle. Ranma had found out quickly that Ryoga did indeed have more strength then he did. He had let an opening appear in his defenses to test Ryoga's perception, as well as to draw the other boy in for a throw maneuver. When Ryoga punched through and overpowered the leveraging grip Ranma placed on his wrist, Ranma had to move fast to break away and keep from being thrown himself.

Ranma danced back in to land a rapid series of blows against the yellow shirted warrior, and Ryoga was late in putting his guard up, but each blow landed only did minimal damage. Ranma could tell that Ryoga had been living as hard, if not harder, then he had. This bought could not be won in a slugging match, so Ranma began to evaluate his options.

Quickly he began to bounce around the field, forcing Ryoga to chase after him in a frustratingly random pattern. He was leading the Lost Boy towards the far end of the field, where a stand of trees were waiting to give him more maneuverability options.

_If I can keep this high speed and attack from many directions, he won't be able to defend in time, _Ranma thought to himself. He was only a short distance away from the tree line when Ryoga leaped high into the air, and drew something from his backpack. Ranma dodged to the side as Ryoga returned to earth only inches from where he was and saw a sturdy looking bamboo umbrella was the boy's choice of weapon.

Ranma did a handspring to gain a little distance as he felt the ground beneath them shift and cave in from the massive impact. He stopped a few meters away and saw that Ryoga's dive created a shallow crater two meters across.

"Whoa," Ranma managed.

Ryoga stood, shacking out his umbrella like a sword blade and said, "I see you're still good at running away."

"I never ran, Ryoga," Ranma told the boy, "My father dragged me away from that lot. I was willing to wait for you, but he told me you forfeited by never showing up. What was I supposed to do?"

"You were supposed to die like a man," Ryoga growled back.

Ranma shifted his stance to react to a charge and asked, "I get that you wanted to finish our fight, but why do you want to kill me?"

Ryoga swung his arm wide, allowing his umbrella to open and yelled out, "Because of you, I've seen Hell!" With a mighty heave, Ryoga sent the umbrella spinning like a top towards Ranma. The speed of the attack left only a small window to leap away, and Ranma almost didn't make it. When he came down from the jump, Ryoga was right there, waiting with a monster haymaker.

He ducked low in time to avoid it and countered with a double fisted punch to his opponent's midsection, staggering him back for a moment. But in the blink on an eye, both combatants were back up, and each launched spinning roundhouse kicks that crashed against each other in mid air.

Back on the sidelines, Ryoga's umbrella had come to a stop, landing a few meters away from the Tendo girls. They gave it a brief glance as it came to a rest, but didn't linger on it as the fight regained its pace. It was only when another Furinkan student attempted to lift the bamboo umbrella that they paid any attention to it.

One of the junior classmen was trying to pull up the device, but it resisted all efforts and he could only grunt out, "This thing weighs a ton." Startled by this, Nabiki dashed over to check and found that even helping the boy, they couldn't lift the umbrella.

"Akane," she called to her sister, "check this out."

The youngest Tendo sister came over and attempted to lift the umbrella as well, and managed to get it a little off the ground before it fell again with a loud thump.

Akane gasped, "He must be monstrously strong to whip this around like he did. There's no way Ranma can beat him."

Nabiki grimaced and said, "Strength isn't everything, Sis." She closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment, blocking out the surrounding noise. Mentally, she reached out again to touch Ranma's mind, and after a few moments of straining her limits she made contact.

"_Ranma, this guy is still holding back his strength," _She whispered into his mind, _"You need to outsmart him and end this fast."_

"_That's going to be hard,"_ she heard Ranma think loudly, _"He's reckless, but on top of his game. I'll try and get this out of the open again."_

With that, Ranma put as much effort as he could into a new gamble. He dodged in low again and began a punch to Ryoga's midsection. The boy instinctively blocked, and Ranma jumped up, using Ryoga's head as a springboard and leaped away. He landed out of reach of the other boy and began to move again, planning to draw Ryoga away, but before he could, Ryoga made a break towards the girls.

He began to give chase and yelled out to Nabiki and Akane, "Get away!"

The bandana wearing boy grabbed his umbrella and spun around to see that Ranma was madly charging him. Planting his feet, he swung his weapon, aiming to tear Ranma in half. Skidding to a halt just as the swing was a hair away from him, Ranma managed to avoid the bulk of the damage, but from the pressure alone, he knew that Ryoga had upped the level of the battle. Looking down, he saw that the silk shirt was torn open along the path of the umbrella's travel, and if he had been any closer he would be holding his guts in. He felt the tear with one hand and cursed quietly.

"You tore my favorite shit, this was a gift from a sensei," he growled at Ryoga.

Ryoga grinned, "Quit whining like a girl!"

Ranma stiffened and glared at Ryoga. Then, faster then Ryoga could follow launched a barrage of punches, each blurring into the next.

All that could be heard over the staccato of impacts was Ranma's shout, "Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken!" With one last blow, it seemed as if Ryoga was suspended in air from the punishing blows, and Ranma ducked down to wind up a powerful uppercut.

"Think I'm still whining," Ranma asked as he delivered the punch to Ryoga's jaw. The Lost Boy was belted up, and over the schools protective wall, there was a loud crash and Ranma jumped over after him.

Nabiki and Akane stood in shock at the incredible display they had just witnessed. Nabiki shook herself out of her stupor and ran to the gate to find out what was happening on the far side of the wall. Barreling around the corner, she soon disappeared from sight.

Akane could only stare at the space the two boys had just vacated, her mouth open. Her mind replayed the seconds old event over and over in her mind, and she counted the impacts of at least twenty punches in five seconds, and she knew that she only saw part of the actual number of punches landed.

She blinked and spoke, "I have GOT to get him to teach me that."

Meanwhile Ryoga had landed in the small park next to the school and was leaning against a water fountain trying to regain his bearings, when he saw Ranma leap over the wall and begin a massive drop kick aimed at his head. The Lost Boy wasted no time as he jumped away at a right angle and watched a massive spray of water shoot up from the impact of the kick shattering the concrete and plumbing of the fountain. He opened his umbrella once more, this time to shield himself from the cold water as it wildly sprayed the area. He waited out of the range of the water for Ranma to emerge, and was ready when a red blur bounced through the spray and dropped into a battle stance.

What he wasn't ready for was the redhead girl in Ranma's clothes. He blinked and looked again, but the image didn't change. It was the Amazon girl he had chased across all of Asia. He stood stiff in surprise that the girl of his dreams appeared out of nowhere and looked like she wanted to fight him.

Ranma saw Ryoga freeze up and figured that she could end this quickly now, before it got out of control. She charged in and delivered everything she could into a kick straight to Ryoga's already red jaw, hoping to put his lights out.

As she charged in and began the kick, her torn shirt fluttered open, allowing Ryoga a glimpse of her wet, cold hardened nipples. When the kick hit, it was in perfect time with the spray of blood from Ryoga's nose, and for a moment Ranma was afraid that she had decapitated her old friend. Then his head bounced back down, and she saw the trail of blood coming from his nose, and a big goofy grin on his face.

"What the hell is wrong with you," she asked the dazed looking boy.

Just then Nabiki ran up and grimaced at the scene. Slowing down and stopping next to Ranma, she said, "Um, you transformed, Ranma. Didn't you notice?"

Ranma shook her head, and noticed that Ryoga's eyes seemed to jiggle in time with her shake. She followed the line of his gaze down, and saw that the tear on the front of her shirt had opened further during the fight, and her breasts were hanging out. She whipped her arms up to cover herself as she realized what Ryoga was so transfixed on.

She yelled at the boy, "What do you think you're looking at, Ryoga?"

Ryoga was shook out of his stupor and looked around, "What…Wait…Did you say Ranma?" He looked confused for a moment, and then took in the redhead's appearance again. The same clothes, the same damage to the clothes, and he could see the beginning of a bruise on her arm from their melee earlier. He came to a slow, and very painful, realization.

"Ra…Ranma?"

"Damn," Ranma cursed, "Look Ryoga, I'm not happy about this, but it's a curse. If you want to laugh, get it out of the way. I didn't want this fight, and I never wanted you running all over China looking for me. Now you think I chickened out on our fight last year, but from my point of view, you backed out by not showing up at the appointed time. I don't have a quarrel with you, Ryoga, and I'd really just like to go back to being your friend."

She looked at the boy, and saw him trembling, for a moment she thought it was with laughter, but she felt Nabiki stiffen beside her and whisper, "Oh shit…"

Ryoga looked up; his teeth clenched and face red with rage. He growled out, "I bet you think you're a fucking riot, playing my heart like a bagpipe. I spent nights awake because I couldn't get you out of my head. I would have jogged to hell with a smile on my face just to spend time with you. Now I find out you are the person who I hate most in the world, the person who thought it would be hilarious to humiliate me day after day. You pulled me in two directions and laughed the whole time." He lowered his head, and a single tear fell to the ground.

Lifting his head up, he declared, "I'm going to kill you for this."

Quickly he reached up and undid his bandana, revealing another underneath. He pulled off several more in rapid succession and began to twirl them in his grip. With a flick they stiffened and he threw them like shuriken at Ranma.

Not knowing if they were dangerous or not, Ranma grabbed Nabiki and jumped away from the barrage. She watched in awe as they proceeded to embed themselves into trees beyond them in the park.

"I got to get you outta here," she told Nabiki, "This guy just went off the deep end."

Nabiki nodded, "But how are you going to stop him?"

"No idea, but you need to run, now."

Ryoga charged after them, launching another barrage of bandanas, and throwing his umbrella like a javelin. Ranma couldn't see an opening to get Nabiki away, so she hugged her close and began to move. She channeled as much power as she could into a kick that knocked the umbrella off its trajectory enough to catch it. Then she opened Ryoga's weapon and used it to block the remaining projectiles. They soon landed a short distance away, Ranma using the umbrella as a make shift parachute. She and Nabiki caught their breath and smiled to each other.

Ryoga used this time to undo his simple cloth belt, and with a flick of his wrist, it too stiffened into a hard form. With a heave, he sent it spinning towards the two girls, intent on ending Ranma's life.

Ranma almost missed it coming, but managed to push herself and Nabiki down in time. As they went down, Nabiki saw the cloth blade cut clean through the handle of the umbrella, and arc away.

The girls sat up again, and Ranma barked out, "How dare you involve an innocent bystander in this fight, you could have killed Nabiki! What kind of martial artist are you to put lives in danger?!"

Ryoga was taken aback for a moment by Ranma's words, and she and Nabiki stood up again. She was about to continue, when her combat honed danger senses went off. Turning her head slightly, she saw that the cloth blade had boomeranged around and was coming right for Nabiki's neck.

Time seemed to slow down. Ryoga, realizing what he was about to be responsible for, was moving towards the two girls. Nabiki had sensed Ranma's horror and was turning to see her own death approach. Ranma's eyes simply turned red.

In a heartbeat, her wings burst forth, ripping through the hidden seams in her shirt and spread wide. Her fist came up to aim at the incoming projectile, and a fire like she had never known swelled up from deep in the darkest part of her demonic body. There was a sudden rush of wind as the air around her fist began to distort and heat up.

Ranma drew on the sensation, and as her eye's glowed bright red in the afternoon sum, she called out, "HELLFIRE!"

Time sped up again as a ball of pure demonic fire streaked from Ranma's fist, slamming into the spinning blade and exploding only a few meters away. Nabiki looked at Ranma, and felt her knees wanting to give out at the sheer amount of power radiating off the demon girl. Ryoga had skidded to a halt and watched the last cinders of his weapon drift to the ground. Ranma slowly turned to face Ryoga, her eyes still ablaze and smoke drifting from her hand.

In a low, silky voice that seemed to promise a thousand years of torment Ranma said, "Do you really want this fight to go on Hibiki?"

Ryoga shivered and collapsed onto the ground under the gaze of the redhead. He tried with all his might to resist, but he could almost feel her reaching out to strangle his soul. He nearly released his bladder, when Nabiki reached up to place her hand on Ranma's.

"That's enough," she said in a calming voice, "He's had enough. You don't need to do this." Ranma seemed to hesitate and Nabiki moved in front of her, "It's over. You don't need to give in. Remember, you're a martial artist too, not just a demon. Let it go, please." Slowly, Ranma's eyes began to fade from red back to blue, the glow dissipating. She seemed to waver for a moment, and then began to lean heavily on Nabiki, almost collapsing.

Nabiki gathered the smaller girl into a hug and watched her wings slowly fold back into hiding. Gently she rocked back and forth in a calming manner, and slowly turned her head to glare at Ryoga.

"You have no idea what you almost did," she told the boy, "Aside from nearly killing me, you almost got yourself killed." Ryoga was about to speak, but Nabiki cut him off, "Ranma's never let out that much power before, and she has a lot more then that. She was ready to rip your soul out, and you would have deserved it for attacking us like that, but it would have destroyed the part of her that is Ranma. She truly believes that it's the duty and honor of a martial artist to protect life. She never would have, or could have done anything to harm you on purpose. She never was your enemy, but I may be, and you never want to piss me off." Ryoga looked at the softly speaking girl, and where Ranma's eyes had contained a burning fire, Nabiki's held only painful ice. He nodded his understanding and stood, bowing formally in apology.

Straightening, he asked, "Now what?"

"Now you get lost for a while," Nabiki told him, "If you make it back, you and Ranma can settle up in a more civilized way then trying to kill each other."

Ryoga winced, but nodded again. He gathered his broken umbrella and slid it back into his pack and turned to leave.

He called over his shoulder, "Ranma will have to answer for what has been done to me, but I'll keep it between us."

Nabiki was about to lose her temper, but remained calm for the sake of the almost unconscious girl in her arms. She growled out, "What did he ever do to make you this mad?"

"I followed him all the way to China. He knows what that means," was all the Lost Boy would say. And with that, he walked off, turning a corner and heading out into Hong Kong. He began to wander, and think. He thought about what the girl, Nabiki, had said. How Ranma believed in a warrior's code to protect, and about his own vengeance. How he had thought he was in love with the redhead Amazon girl, only to have it turn out to be the boy from school who had bested him day after day.

His thoughts brought him pain, and that was something he was more familiar with. Pain could be overcome in time.

Back in Nerima, Nabiki was half supporting, half dragging a worn out Ranma back to the Tendo compound. The young warrior girl leaning against her was emotionally and physically drained, but still clung to the threads of awareness.

She managed to get out, "I'm sorry."

Nabiki sighed and responded, "Because you lost control?" Ranma nodded and Nabiki continued, "Don't be. You saved my life, and you managed to stop yourself from doing anything more then that."

"But you were the one to stop me…"

"Hey," Nabiki smiled, "I'm your fiancé, that makes us partners, and partners look out for each other.

Finally they reached the gate, and saw Kasumi sweeping the walkway. She saw Ranma's condition and dropped her broom, rushing to aid Nabiki in brining the tired girl into the house. As they entered, Genma stood in the hallway and looked down at them.

"Well," he asked, "how did you fare, boy?"

Ranma managed to say, "We called it a draw."

Genma barked, "Unacceptable, boy. What sort of martial artist leaves his battle half fought?"

That broke Nabiki's temper, and her free hand flashed out. Genma was slammed against the wall by an unseen force, and he felt an invisible hand grip his throat.

Nabiki, her hand gripping air, growled out, "I don't know why Ranma puts up with you, but I won't." Kasumi looked at her sister in shock as her hand closed and a gurgling noise could be heard from Genma.

She managed to ask, "What are you doing?"

"Putting him in his place," Nabiki coldly replied.

A whisper stopped her, however, "don't…" She looked at Ranma, and saw the girl was about to pass out, and still managed to get out, "he's still my pops…"

Nabiki realized what she was doing, and released her mental grip on the Saotome patriarch, letting him slump to the ground, gasping for air and staring up at the brown haired girl with a little fear on his face. She shivered at the thought that she had almost done what she had stopped Ranma's inner demon from doing.

She quietly whispered back to the unconscious girl, "Thanks, partner."

She and Kasumi left Genma on the floor and helped Ranma upstairs, placing her in Nabiki's bed. Once she was settled, Kasumi dragged Nabiki out into the hall and closed the door.

"What was that back there," Kasumi simply asked without recrimination or accusation.

Nabiki sighed and leaned against the wall, "Ranma got worked over pretty good in that fight. I got dragged into it, and she had to let out some of her powers to save my life. Ryoga walked away from it in better shape but beaten and Ranma collapsed."

Kasumi placed a hand on her sister's shoulder and softly said, "That isn't what I meant."

After a moment, Nabiki nodded and began, "A few weeks before Ranma showed up I started to hear things. It was nothing major, just an occasional whisper or a rustle. I brushed it off as no big deal, but it kept getting more intense. I thought for a bit that I may be going crazy, but then it got clearer. About the time Ranma arrived, I could make out that I was getting impressions from people, and I started to be able to move little things with a thought."

She stopped to catch her breath and Kasumi asked, "So you don't think it was something Ranma did to you?"

"No," she replied, "It started way before Ranma or I knew that he was coming here. But Ranma has helped me to get stronger." She switched to her internal voice and spoke in Kasumi's mind, _"I can even do this now."_ Kasumi covered her mouth in surprise, but didn't pull away. Nabiki continued, "I can read emotions, sense presences around me, even look into dreams." Kasumi's eyes widened at this, and Nabiki realized she probably just said too much.

Kasumi's grip tightened slightly and she whispered, "You looked at mine, didn't you?" Nabiki nodded with her eyes down in embarrassment. Kasumi saw this and loosened her grip, "Just promise me you won't do that again without someone's permission." Nabiki nodded again.

She then asked, "Why aren't you mad about this? I mean I just found out a big secret about you, and I'm guessing that it was one you never wanted to get out."

Kasumi sighed and gave a slight smile, "I would be mad if it weren't for the fact that I already did something almost as bad." Nabiki looked up in puzzlement and Kasumi continued, "I watched you and Ranma make love last week, when you showed her your toy."

Nabiki was rocked back again. At the time she had entered her sister's dream, she thought that is was just that, a dream. But it seemed that her innocent older sister had a hidden side that was beginning to make an appearance.

"So you and the Doc…"

"No," Kasumi said with a sad smile, "The one time I was with the Doctor, I let a little of that side show and he couldn't handle it. I keep hoping that he will recover, but so far he hasn't. I'm a little jealous of you, Little Sister. You have someone to let your hair down with."

Nabiki smirked, "Is that why we were in your dream?"

Kasumi blushed and started to turn away, but Nabiki stopped her and turned her back around to face her. She softly spoke, "I hold in so much. I never wanted to hurt you, or Akane, or Father, so I closed it all up inside myself. I've had a few relationships that wouldn't be approved of when I was younger, but I put my family first. Now it's all tumbling out and I don't know what to do. And having a real live sex demon in the house is making it all more confusing for me…"

She reached up and held the taller girl's face in her hands and spoke into her mind. _"There is so much going on right now, and it's hard on all of us. The kind of thing you dreamed, I don't think Ranma could handle it now. Shampoo, his wife, and I are already pulling his heart in two directions, and he doesn't understand that sex and love aren't always related yet. But if you really want to know about the succubus's nature, I could show you." _Kasumi looked torn for a moment, and then gave a small nod. Nabiki led her back into her room and went over to Ranma on the bed.

Nabiki gestured to the redhead and said, "Ranma used her demon powers in the fight, and saved us both by doing so. But she burned more energy then she should have because it was the first time she had tried them. Now she needs to feed so that she can heal and regain her strength." Nabiki began to undo her clothes, letting each piece fall to the ground as Kasumi sat down to watch. She stopped at her bra and panties and looked Kasumi in the eye, "You can walk out at any time, but let's face it, I don't think either of us will look at the other the same way."

"No," Kasumi said softly, "but we are sisters, and we will find a way like always."

Nabiki smiled, "As long as Dad or Akane never find out."

Kasumi nodded with a smile of her own, and watched as her sister slid off her last bits of clothing and moved over to the bed.

"I know from Ranma's memories that Shampoo did this once when Ranma had injured herself during a challenge match back in China," Nabiki told her sister, "But I have no idea what this will do to me, so be ready for anything." Kasumi nodded again and watched as Nabiki mounted the bed and straddled herself over Ranma. Slowly she lowered herself down and attempted to trigger Ranma's instincts to feed.

Kasumi watched in taboo fascination as her sister sat astride Ranma. As the scene grew more intense, she noticed Ranma begin to stir. The redheaded demon began to stir, reacting to Nabiki's presence and intent.

For a moment she thought that she was back in the Amazon village, and Shampoo was offering herself once again as a source of food, then she opened her eyes and saw Nabiki's face, shifting between concern and enjoyment, and she remembered where she was, and what had happened. Nabiki was now offering herself to Ranma as Shampoo had done before, and Ranma was more then willing to accept.

It happened slowly, but sure enough Ranma let the hunger wear itself out on Nabiki's willing form. Only the small girl's iron hard control kept the beast in check as they coupled on the bed. When the hunger had abated, Ranma tended to the needs of her lover, and Nabiki clinched her teeth as pleasure shot into her like lightning.

Slowly, Nabiki come down from her sexual high, and used what little energy she had left to roll off Ranma and lower herself down on the bed, almost instantly drifting off to sleep. Ranma meanwhile, was luxuriating in the warmth of energy she had just consumed. After a moment she remembered the circumstances of her feeding and rose to check on her lover. Measuring pulse and breathing, she judged Nabiki to be deep asleep, but otherwise alright.

It was then that she felt another presence in the room, and slowly turned around to see Kasumi sitting at Nabiki's desk, her face a high red. She panicked and curled her legs up to her chin, hiding herself and looked wide eyed at the older girl.

"W…What are you doing here," she stammered out.

Unable to meet Ranma's glowing eyes, Kasumi looked down and answered, "You were badly drained when you returned, and Nabiki thought that you may still be injured even after feeding, so we agreed that I would stay and make sure you were both fine." She congratulated herself on the explanation, and hoped that Ranma believed her.

Fortunately, Ranma nodded and moved off the bed. She gathered up the bed sheets and began to tuck in Nabiki, when Kasumi stood and stopped her.

"Stay here tonight," she told the shorter girl, "I think the first thing Nabiki is going to want to see in the morning is that you are well."

"But what about my dad…"

Kasumi smiled and lightly hugged the redhead, "I'll take care of everything, you just be sure to thank her."

Ranma felt a familiar tingle in the back of her mind, but considered that this was Kasumi, and ignored it. She returned the hug and nodded She then climbed into bed next to Nabiki and pulled the sleeping girl into a warm embrace as Kasumi pulled the sheets up to cover the two girls.

She then turned to leave the room, exchanging a 'good night' with Ranma and closed the door behind her.

She leaned heavily on the wall and muttered, "Oh my…" She then stood up and walked down the hall to her own room, closing herself in and ducking into the back of her closet to find her almost forgotten collection of vibrators.

Far away from this in, China, a simple envelope had finally arrived in the hands of a buxom blue hared girl in an Amazon village. She tore it open in excitement and read the contents, 'Tendo Dojo, Nerima, Japan. See you soon, Airen…Ranma'

In a rush, Shampoo informed her Grandmother, packed her backpack, and left the village with a whirlwind of dust behind her.

She was in such a hurry that she never noticed that she had picked up a follower soon after she left the village. A form jumped from tree to tree, stalking the young girl on the trail below, knowing that she would blaze a trail to a certain demon that had caused so much upheaval.

The young, winged arms of Enema flapped again to keep pace with Shampoo, and she fought to hold back a laugh that the Matriarch's own blood would be the tool of her revenge.

To be continued.


	10. This Little Piggy Went Splish Splash

Author's Note: Ranma and friends were created by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I do not own, rent, or lease them. This was written purely for the entertainment of all of the Ranma fans out there. This work may contain material of a sexual nature, only those 21 and older are legally allowed to read, so check the ID's at the door.

P.S.: for Janice.

Ryoga had tried, really tried, to get away from Nerima, but every corner he took, every direction he went, he was drawn back to the area where he had met his most devastating defeat. After two days of hard travel he had returned to the small park next to Furinkan High four times. It was well past dark now, and he had almost given up.

He flopped down onto a bench and considered his situation. From the sheer power that Ranma was putting out at the end of their fight, Ryoga knew that he was in trouble if he ever pushed the redhead too far. And the icy glare than Nabiki girl had given him had given him nightmares.

"I am so dead," he muttered to himself.

Looking up into the sky, he wondered if there was any way out. He still blamed Ranma for his current condition, but there was no way he would get revenge unless he was vastly more powerful. Besides, Nabiki had been quite clear in her opinion of his normal method of solving his problems.

He decided that there was only one real choice, to do the most painful thing he could imagine, sit down and talk to Ranma.

"The world is a dark and lonely place," he muttered. As if to prove his point, it slowly began to rain, and he scrambled to get his repaired umbrella out. Once it was up, he began slowly wandering out of the park, hoping to get lost, but knowing in the pit of his stomach that he would wind up wherever Ranma was.

"This sucks."

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 10

This Little Piggy Went Splish Splash

To keep their activities a secret form Akane and Mr. Tendo, Ranma and Nabiki were once more sleeping in separate rooms. Much to his chagrin, his father was sleeping next to him in panda form, and the big fur ball loved to snore. It took him almost an hour to drift off to sleep that night.

In his dream, he was sandwiched between a nude Nabiki and Shampoo, each vying for his attention. He turned to one, then the other, but each time he did he felt a wind on the back of his neck, as if one of the girls was blowing on it, that drew his attention back the other way. This happened several times.

He was about to pull both girls in closer, when a shout awoke him, "WAKE UP DAMNIT!"

Ranma's eyes shot open to see Ryoga standing above him, but before he could react to the obviously frustrated boy, the panda next to him sat up, pulled out a sign that read 'Quiet Please!', and used it to pitch them both out the window.

Ranma was only half awake, and couldn't compensate in time to avoid landing in the koi pond, while Ryoga had his umbrella out, and landed lightly on the ground nearby. A now drenched and female Ranma stood and stepped out of the pond, shivering lightly in the cold rain.

"Ryoga," she gasped, "What the hell are you doing here?" She waited for a response, but there was none to be heard. She looked the boy over, and saw a mildly glazed look in his eyes as they stared at the wet, translucent material of her white tank top.

She barked at him, "Eyes up, Nimrod!"

Ryoga shuddered and shook his head, then firmly locked his eyes on the blue of Ranma's own, not letting them wander down at all, no sir, not even a little.

Ranma had to wait another moment for Ryoga to reboot and wipe a little blood from his nose. She kept her guard up all the while, anticipating the Lost Boy flying into another rage and blindly attacking her. For wordless moments they stood across from each other.

Finally, Ryoga had forced himself away from Ranma's see through shirt, and spoke, "Um…Hi there."

Ranma stumbled and spoke with disbelief, "Hi there? You try to kill me a few days ago and all you have to say is 'Hi there'?"

Ryoga scratched the back of his head, and managed to get out, "Well, I was a little upset with you about the whole gender thing. You can't really blame me for that." Ranma crossed her arms and gave an expression of loathing. "Or maybe you can," Ryoga finished.

"You tried to take Nabiki's head off," Ranma growled out.

Ryoga laughed lightly and croaked out, "Well...I am…sorry about that…"

Ranma shrugged her shoulders, and Ryoga forced himself to not look down at the interesting things this did to her chest.

"So what are you doing here?"

"Well…I was thinking…damn this is hard…and I wanted to try and…" KLANG!

Ranma winced as Ryoga received what looked like a twenty pound dumbbell to the side of the head. She watched as the poor boy went flying over the wall, his possessions scattering during flight. Her head whipped around and she saw the Tendo sisters huddled in the shelter of the porch doorway.

"Did I get it?" Akane called out.

Ranma's jaw dropped as her looked at the girls, and she asked, "What was that for?

Nabiki called out, "We heard some noise, and thought there was a burglar. We saw you squaring off, and Akane decided to get the drop on him." She saw that Ranma was looking at her dumbfounded and asked, "What?"

Ranma shouted, "That was Ryoga!"

Nabiki patted Akane's shoulder and smiled, "Should have used a bigger weight, Sis."

"He came to apologize," Ranma said, "I think."

With that, she jumped to the wall surrounding the compound and looked around for the no doubt concussed boy. As she searched, no sign of Ryoga could be found, but soon she looked down, and saw a small pile of clothes, and Ryoga's backpack.

"I don't believe it," she muttered, "she knocked him naked." She hopped down and retrieved the clothes and overly heavy backpack, all the while looking for any other sign of the Lost Boy. Seeing nothing, and no one, she allowed her wings to open and jumped over the wall, using the extra lift to ease her load. Heading back in, she saw that Nabiki had waited for her at the table.

"Any sign," she asked Ranma.

`"Sort of," the redhead answered and plied Ryoga's things in the corner, "I think he really was here to talk."

"Then why did he sneak in to our house in the middle of the night?"

Ranma shrugged and sat down next to Nabiki, who handed her a towel. Drying her hair, she considered the question, "Knowing him, he may have simply been trying to avoid a big scene. Remember, you said he was pretty shook up after the fight. Also remember the fact that he's been on the road even more then I have, he probably knows less about courtesy then I do."

Nabiki nodded, "I guess. Do you think he'll be back?"

"More then likely," Ranma said, "Especially since we have his clothes."

Nabiki chuckled and said, "I've had enough excitement for one night, I'm going back to bed. See you in the morning." She gave the wet girl a light kiss and headed back upstairs.

Ranma was about to take her shirt off and head up to the bath, when she heard a noise from the kitchen, and peeked her head in to see what it was. Akane was reaching into Kasumi's medicine cupboard and holding something in her arms.

"Hey Akane, What's up," Ranma asked. The youngest Tendo girl jumped at the noise, but calmed down at the sight of the redhead. She was about to lash out, when she remembered that she was supposed to be nicer to the girl, especially if she wanted to learn that blindingly fast punching technique.

"I found this little guy in my room," she said, showing a small black piglet wearing a yellow bandana tied around its neck cradled in her arm, "I think he was hiding from the storm and clocked himself under my bed." She held up the small pig to show a large bump on his head. Ranma winced in sympathy at the sight of the injury. "I was just putting a little antiseptic on it."

"Good idea, don't want to let a goose egg like that swell too much," smiled Ranma, simply glad to have a conversation with the girl without violence or name calling involved. She leaned against the counter as Akane held the piglet close and used a cotton swab to clean off the wound. Ranma was about to comment about the overabundance of cute in the scene, when she noticed something.

"I think that pig is blushing."

Akane looked at Ranma dubiously, "Oh, come on. You must be kidding."

Ranma pointed to the pig, snuggling against Akane's chest, and clear as day were patches on where a blush showed on the dark skin. Akane saw this and rubbed the piglet's cheek

"He's just cold, Ranma," She scolded, "after all, he was out in the rain for who knows how long."

Ranma smirked, "Whatever. Well, he isn't the only one who's cold, so I'm gonna jump in the tub for a minute before I go back to bed. See you tomorrow."

"Could you take him in with you," Akane asked as Ranma turned to leave.

The redhead looked back, with disdain on her face, but saw that Akane seemed to be genuinely concerned about the well being of the small animal. She also didn't want to ruin the good vibe going on between them recently, so with a heavy sigh she nodded and held out her hand.

Akane passed the pig over, but it seemed intent on getting away from Ranma as fast as possible and almost slipped from her grasp. Reacting quickly, she grabbed the scruff of its neck and the bandana it wore to hold it before it could get away.

"Feisty little pork bun, aren't he," she chuckled, holding it at arms length and proceeding up to the bathroom. She slid the door closed behind her and used her free hand to tug down her rain soaked boxers, keeping the struggling piglet secure in her grip. Next she pulled her useless tank top off and tossed both items into the laundry basket.

"Ok, bacon breath," she told the pig, "time to get wet." The small creature seemed to freeze up at this declaration, and shivered as they moved into the bathing area, and the privacy door slid closed behind them. They approached the tub, and the piglet once more began to thrash in Ranma's grip. She held it up, and with a swift motion, dunked it into the warm water.

Ranma felt a shift in her grip as the small course hairs on the pig grew and its form expanded. In only a moment she found herself holding the head of a nude boy sitting in the tub. Her eyes widened and blinked in disbelief as she finally recognized the bandana now wrapped around the boy's head as Ryoga's. She let go and fell back on her posterior.

"R…Ryoga? Is that you?"

She waited for an answer, but soon realized that the boy was blushing and starring at her own nude form. She reached out, and grasped a nearby bath pan, using it to clonk Ryoga on the head to get him to focus on something else. The impact shook him and allowed his mind to realign on a hostile looking redhead that held a small dented bucket, ready to strike again. He spun around in the tub to face away from her and tried to remove the image of Ranma's very female form from his mind.

He fought his blush down and said, "So now you know why I hated you so much."

"Nabiki said you followed me to China," Ranma confirmed, "but I never figured that you followed me all the way to Jusenkyo."

Ryoga growled, "I didn't have a choice. You humiliated me in front of the entire school, and then ran out on our fight. I had to follow after you or I'd never have been able to live it down." He absently slapped a fist into the water and continued, "I was almost worn out when a beautiful girl walked out of the woods to give me new hope. Now I find out that fate mocked me, and that you were that girl."

Ranma felt a pang of sympathy for the sad and confused boy, but was still put off by his blame, "I told you, Ryoga, it wasn't my choice to leave before we ended our little feud, and it wasn't my choice to get dunked in those springs. If you really need to blame someone, blame my dad. I do."

"And embarrassing me at school," Ryoga asked, "Was that his fault?"

Ranma's face scrunched up in thought, and she said, "Look, I can't think of any way I was trying to put you down back then. I thought we were friends, and you were a good challenge for my training. That's why I wanted to fight you, to test myself."

Ryoga looked over his shoulder at the innocent looking girl behind him, "I thought you were out to get me, that you were some kind of bully or something."

Ranma scratched the back of her head, "Well, I never really considered it that way. My dad just told me to always challenge people stronger then myself so I could improve. I never really learned any social grace until recently, thanks to Nabiki."

Ryoga tried not to watch Ranma's breast bounced as she laughed in embarrassment, and asked, "What's with her, anyway? Doesn't she know you're really a guy?"

Ranma looked down and sighed, "Yeah, she does. She is one of the few people that don't see me as a freak when I change."

Ryoga smirked and turned back around, "Freak? Ha! At least you stay human; I'm stuck as something small, weak, and edible. You're lucky to have such a nice body."

"I hate to tell you this, but I'm not human," Ranma said. Ryoga looked quizzically at her, and with a mental push, she allowed her wings to open out of her back.

"You had those back in China. What are they?"

Ranma looked Ryoga in the eye and said, "Demon wings."

"D…Demon…What do you mean?"

Ranma turned away, "The magic in the spring I fell into was different, and it turned me into something else. An Amazon Elder helped me to understand what I was turning into, and I've been fighting to keep a balance between my humanity and demon nature."

Ryoga's eyes suddenly went wide, "That was what you used at the end of our fight. But don't demons eat people and stuff like that?"

"I'm not that kind of…" She paused, hearing a noise of the outer door latch being fumbled with. "Oh crap, someone's coming," she hissed out.

She folded her wings away and turned to the cold water tap to change Ryoga back into a piglet before anyone could see them. Ryoga quickly caught on, and not wanting to reveal his curse, climbed out of the tub. He came up behind Ranma and was about to take the flexible shower head, when he stepped into a wet spot on the floor, and in his rush slipped forward, crashing into Ranma.

The two teens tumbled to the ground, Ryoga landing on top of Ranma. Their bodies pressed into each other, and they locked eyes in surprise at the situation. Ryoga felt the smaller form of the redhead beneath him, her breasts pressing into him, her leg brushing his hip, and her scent filling his nose. His mind began to shut down at the sensation.

Ranma, meanwhile, found herself pinned by Ryoga's body, her nipples digging into him, and his arousal at her nude form filling her demonic senses. Suddenly, she felt a prodding and realized that it was the boy's erection pressing against her thigh. For a moment, her demon nature caused her to swoon, but she quickly regained control, reaching past Ryoga's head to turn on the shower.

Instantly the weight on her chest reduced, and a small black piglet was lying between her breasts. She sat up and pulled the pig off her, setting it to one side as the inner door opened.

A drowsy panda stumbled in, holding up a sign reading, 'Excuse me; I needed to use the lil' panda's room'. The panda backed out, and Ranma looked down to see Ryoga had passed out with a nose bleed, no doubt due to the last few seconds. She shivered at the remembered sensations that ran through her body at the close male contact, almost reliving her nightmares of Kuno.

_This is one part of my nature I could do without,_ Ranma thought to herself.

She shook her head, and gathered up the piglet, moving to the changing area, and pulling a towel around her waist. She walked out and began to head back down to the living room, when Akane stopped her and picked up Ryoga from Ranma's arm.

"Wait, Akane," Ranma started, but was cut off.

"He's out cold, what did you do to him?"

Ranma heard the accusation in Akane's voice and fired back, "Nothing, but there's something you need to know…"

She watched, shocked as Akane gave the little pig a kiss on the snout and say, "It's all right, P-Chan, I'll make sure Ranma doesn't hurt you."

Ranma saw that Ryoga had woken up to receive the kiss, and had promptly passed out again. She tried to snatch the pig back from Akane, but the Tendo girl turned, blocking the grab, and pinched Ranma's arm. She pulled her arm back and Akane took the opportunity to shift past her and through her door.

"Oh go put on a shirt, and stop picking on the little guy," the youngest Tendo groused, and stormed into her room, slamming the door in Ranma's face.

"Oh hell," Ranma cursed. She needed to get the boy turned pig out of there, but couldn't figure a way to do it without getting into trouble. Unfortunately, she was skating on thin ice with the youngest Tendo sister already, and didn't want the tomboy to start in on her again.

To top that off, she did feel for the cursed boy. She knew that if she was trapped in his curse she would like it even less then her own. Ranma had to find a way to preserve Ryoga's dignity, and give the boy a chance to defuse the situation. She dashed into her room, and quickly pulled on a new tank top and her skirt, forgoing anything else in her haste, looked to make sure the rain had ended, and then quietly jumped out the window.

Dropping to the ground, she ran inside to the kitchen, and filled a tea kettle, setting it on the stove. She waited three agonizing minutes for it to heat up, and then walked back outside, grabbing Ryoga's pants out of his belongings on the way. Once in the yard she let her wings out again, and silently took flight, hovering outside Akane's window in the darkness. Looking in, she saw Akane asleep already, with Ryoga's pig form cuddled in her arms.

Carefully, she opened the second story widow, and slid in. Using every bit of stealth she could muster, Ranma made her way to Akane's bedside and tapped Ryoga on the head.

She whispered, "Time to go, Hibiki."

Slowly, the pig stirred, seeing Ranma and the kettle, and reacted badly. He cowered away from what he thought was another attack, but as he did, his flank brushed against Akane's nightshirt, reminding him he was in bed with a girl.

Ranma saw the panic in the little pig's eyes and made a soothing sound, "Shhh…I'm not gonna change you here. I'm just trying to get you outside." Ryoga relaxed incrementally, and inched away from the warm body of the sleeping girl. He only got a handbreadth away when Akane reached out and grabbed him, pulling him in close and pressing his snout into her chest.

Ranma smacked her own forehead as she saw the piglet freeze up, and prayed he wouldn't have another nose bleed. She placed the kettle down on Akane's desk and move even closer to the bed, leaning over to get a better angle on Ryoga. She reached down and went to grab him by then bandana when Akane shifted in her sleep, causing Ranma to miss and grab a handful of Akane's pajama covered breast. Akane's eyes shot open, and locked with Ranma's.

The redhead felt panic rise up, and chanted in her head, _Just a dream, go back to sleep…Just a dream, go back to sleep…_

Akane's eyes were locked into the redhead's, and for a moment she felt a wave of anger, and a need to smash the other girl. Then, she saw Ranma's eyes begin to glow, and her head felt heavy, as if she were halfway asleep. _That sounds right, _she thought, _this is a dream. I should go back to sleep._ Her eyes closed, and her breathing slowed as she drifted back to sleep.

_Not complaining,_ Ranma thought as she let go of the girl's front, _but what the hell just happened?_ She scooped up Ryoga and retrieved the kettle, then slid out the window, taking to the air once more. She landed on the roof, and dropped the black piglet down, tossing the pants next to him. Hefting the kettle, Ranma then poured out a measure of hot water on the frightened looking pig, and watched it transform into a startled looking boy.

Ryoga gaped, "How did you do that? Your eyes were glowing, and then she let go of me. She didn't even react when you groped her.""

"First, I didn't grope anybody, I just missed grabbing you when she rolled," Ranma exclaimed, embarrassed at the situation. "Secondly…I have no idea." She sat down on the roof and mulled over what happened while Ryoga pulled on his pants, grateful to cover his reaction to being held closely by Akane, and then Ranma as they flew up here. He waited, and saw that Ranma was deep in thought.

Finally, almost to herself, Ranma spoke, "It must be part of my demon abilities. Since I'm a succubus, I must be able to persuade people. It must be kinda like Nabiki's power, tele-whatsis, reading people's minds."

Ryoga asked, "You can read minds?"

"I don't think so," Ranma replied, "just influence them, like hypnosis or something." She thought again for a moment, then turned to face Ryoga again, "I'm going to try it on you. See if you can resist." Ryoga slowly nodded and Ranma closed her eyes, opening them again with a faint glow.

"Stand up," she commanded. Ryoga rocked back at the mental impact of the words, and almost obeyed instantly, but he remembered that he was supposed to resist. He fought the sensations, but his eyes were locked with Ranma's, and a wave of desire and obedience washed through him. He struggled to overcome it, his body twitching, and managed to break eye contact with the demon girl. After a moment, the wave passed, and he collapsed back, worn out.

"You ok, Ryoga," Ranma asked in a normal voice.

Ryoga glanced, and saw the blue light was gone from Ranma's eyes, "Yeah. That was really creepy. It felt like obeying you would be the greatest thing in my life, and if I wasn't ready for it, I probably would have stood."

Ranma shivered and softly said, "That's the monster inside." She shivered and continued, "I'll never do that again if I can help it."

"That's good to hear," Ryoga said, sitting up and crossing his legs to hide his reaction to her commands. "If you really are fighting between human and demon, then using something like that is dangerous." He paused while Ranma collected her thought, and then hesitantly said, "Look, I can see you have a lot to work out, and I suppose I didn't help, charging in like I did. All this time, I thought you were a jerk, and maybe you are," Ranma frowned, but Ryoga continued, "But you have it as bad as me. The real difference is that you have that Nabiki girl to support you, I don't have anyone to help me with my curse."

Ranma nodded, "I got lucky to find a partner like her." _And Shampoo, _she added to herself.

Ryoga saw that Ranma understood and said, "Then I want to ask you, as someone who has a curse, and as a warrior…Please keep my secret."

Ranma saw Ryoga near panic again, and sighed, "A transformation like yours could be used as a weakness, so I understand why you want to keep it, but what about Akane?"

Ryoga blushed again, "She didn't care that I was a pig, and took me in her arms…" Ranma saw that Ryoga was going all starry eyed and snapped her fingers in front of his face. Ryoga came back to reality, and saw a look of scorn on Ranma's face.

"What," he asked.

"She felt sorry for a little lost piglet, not you," Ranma calmly pointed out, "If you value honor so much you should tell her about it before there's a problem."

"So you won't tell anyone before I do?"

Ranma glared at the boy, "A weakness is one thing, but if you don't fess up soon, she'll kill you. She has stated quite clearly that she thinks all boys are perverts and a boy using a pig disguise to sneak into her room would be top on her hit list."

Ryoga responded, "I did not sneak into her room." His voice gained a dreaming quality and he added, "She welcomed me with open arms…"

"Oh, god," Ranma sighed, her hand covering her face as Ryoga took another trip away from reality. "Look, Ryoga, I'll let it be for the moment. Call it my repayment for whatever part you think I played in giving you this curse, but if you don't come clean, and I mean soon, it will get out, and you won't be able to run far enough to hide from Akane's wrath.." With that, Ranma stood and headed to the edge of the roof. She hopped down, gathered Ryoga's things, and flew back to the roof, dumping it unceremoniously in front of him.

"Here's your crap," she grumbled, "you better tell Akane the next time you see her, or I will." With that she jumped up and disappeared into the night.

Ryoga pulled on the remainder of his clothes, and considered recent events.

"The girl I fell for in China hates me, and is my enemy from school. The girl I fall for in Japan likes the pig I become, and doesn't even know the man I am." He paused in his musings and looked into the night sky for any sign of the winged girl he had once had feelings for, but she was either too far, or blended into the night too well, and could not be seen.

"The world truly is a dark and lonely place," he sighed into the night.

Unfortunately for Ranma, she was only a few meters away, near Nabiki's window, and heard him speaking. She still felt the pang of sympathy for the Lost Boy, knowing the pain of being alone, but at the same time, she shuddered at the idea that another boy had feelings for her. She quietly tapped on Nabiki's window, and waited a moment.

Soon, a tired looking, and nude, Nabiki slid open the window to see Ranma hovering outside.

"What's up that couldn't wait till morning?"

Ranma alighted on the window sill and said, "We may have a few little problems that are going to be big ones soon. Can we talk?" Nabiki nodded, rubbing sleep out of her eyes and let Ranma in. She pulled on a robe and both girls sat on the bed, Ranma looking pensive.

"What's wrong?" Nabiki asked.

Ranma spent the rest of the night telling Nabiki about her new power, and with much reluctance, about Ryoga's visit. Nabiki took Ranma's new ability in stride.

"You re a succubus," she said, "they were supposed to be able to seduce anyone. Hypnosis would give you that ability. I guess that when you went full on demon during the fight, it rattled a few things loose, letting your abilities surface."

As for Ranma's talk with Ryoga, Nabiki figured the two boys had worked out a lot of problems, but believed that Ryoga could be a real threat for the foreseeable future. Her opinion of his anger level was that it wouldn't go away after just one sit down.

As for Ryoga's curse, Nabiki had to think about that one. On the one hand, it opened the door for a little blackmail, and Nabiki believed that Ryoga needed to be brought down a peg, hard. On the other hand, her sister was now involved, and even if Nabiki felt a little animosity towards Akane for her treatment of Ranma, she still couldn't condone Ryoga not telling Akane about the curse, or at least finding a way out of the situation.

She put that to the side for one moment, realizing that she needed time to think clearly on it, and focused on the two things she could handle at the moment. The first problem was that Ranma was once more in conflict about the nature of her curse. Having Ryoga fall on top of her in such a provocative way had rattled her, even though she brushed it off as nothing. Nabiki could tell that inside Ranma was fighting the instincts regarding the encounter, but she had no clue as to how to assure the confused girl, other then offering her support.

The other problem was much easier to deal with. Nabiki stood in front of Ranma and said, "Try to hypnotize me. I should have an easy time of fighting it."

Ranma nodded, and once more she closed her eyes, opening them with a blue glow and commanding, "Sit down." Nabiki was prepared, and felt the pressure of the command ram into her mind's defenses. She had to work a little at it due to the new use of her power in this way, but she withstood the attack without strain.

She nodded to herself, figuring that she would be able to resist if she needed to, and then said, "Ok, now try again. This time I won't resist, and I want you to try and see if there is a difference."

Ranma nodded and locked eyes with Nabiki, "Sit down." Almost instantly, Nabiki was in her desk chair, and feeling a wash of satisfaction for obeying her mistress. Ranma looked stunned for a moment at the expression of submissiveness on Nabiki's face, and immediately closed her eyes to try and turn off the power. Both girls soon shook off the effects, and stared at each other.

Nabiki spoke first, "That was something different. It felt like it was perfectly natural for me to obey. That's powerful stuff."

"Yeah," Ranma managed, "It felt much easier this time, and almost like…I don't know, I could make you do anything I wanted."

"Is that what it was like when you made Akane go back to sleep?"

Ranma thought, "I wasn't really paying attention at the time, I was more focused on getting Ryoga out of there. Whatever the case, I don't think I'll be doing that too often."

"Why," Nabiki asked, "You could get anything you wanted. Why not use it."

"You know why."

Nabiki sighed, "It would be dishonorable, I know. I just think that you should be able to use every tool you have. I guess you really believe all that stuff that your father doesn't."

"It's what makes me different than him," Ranma said. "Besides, if I was spouting crap like him, you wouldn't care what happened to me at all. You'd probably just scam me like the idiot jock I'd be."

Nabiki smiled at Ranma's frank observation and said, "Probably. But you are the way you are, and I do care. Now we better get ready, we have to wake up in a few minutes."

They shared a simple kiss, and Ranma ducked out the window again, gliding over to her room in the pale morning light. As her glide carried her above the lip of the roof for a moment, she saw that Ryoga had left, no doubt running from the possibility of being discovered. She snorted and slid inside to see her panda father still sound asleep.

She looked over to the clock, and saw it read 5:59, and decided to get the morning routine started one minute early. She circled her father, and lined up on him and the open window, hauled back her leg, and then punted the panda outside to begin the day's exercise.

Far away, in China, Shampoo was struggling to free herself from a steel wire net hanging from a tree. As she continued to travel day and night, she let her guard down and found herself open to attack, which led to her current position.

She had let her Grandmother, her tribe and her husband down by ignoring the world around her as she raced to the coast, and now she would pay for that failure. Soon she saw her captor, and her eyes widened in fear.

"Exile," she whispered.

"Not for long, my dear," the girl-bat chuckled as she opened a pouch, removing several items, "Soon I will have my revenge on the False One, and your fool of a grandmother, and then I will rule the Amazons."

"Never," Shampoo spat out, redoubling her efforts, causing light cuts to appear where wire touched skin. She noticed that one of the items Enema had retrieved was a simple bottle with 'Formula 119' printed on it. "That won't work. Erasing my memory won't erase my loyalty to the tribe."

Again, Enema chuckled, "Now why would I do something as primitive as that? Your glorious grandmother never told you that I am a master at the shiatsu styles. I intend to rebuild your mind completely and make you into my tool to destroy the False One."

With that, she attacked. It was fast, powerful, and Shampoo could do nothing to defend herself. When the scalp massage and conditioning were over, she felt like she had just spent a whole day relaxing in the sun. As she was let down, she looked up at the unfamiliar girl who smiled at her, and felt a connection of some kind.

"Hello, child," the girl said, folding her elongated arms in front of her, "I am Enema, the Chosen One of legend, and rightful queen of your Amazon tribe."

Shampoo felt a wash of reverence. This was the Chosen One that was spoken of all her life by…by…someone important, but she couldn't remember at the moment and chalked it up to being in the presence of such an important figure. She was helped out of the net, and kneeled before the Chosen One, eyes cast downwards.

Enema spoke again, "A great threat has befallen the tribe, and only you can save them. A false savior has arisen in the east, and if left unchecked will bring doom to our people. You are to seek her out and destroy her. Do you understand?"

Shampoo quietly spoke, "I do."

"Then go to this place," Enema said, and handed the girl a torn piece of paper that read 'Tendo Dojo, Nerima, Japan'. She continued, "Seek out the red haired demon called Ranma, and bring her head to me."

Shampoo took the paper, and answered, "I will do as you command, Mistress."

Enema's laughter could be heard echoing into the night as Shampoo began to head for the coast, a single tear running unnoticed down her cheek.

To be continued.


	11. Madness of the Black Rose

Author's Note: Ranma's world was dreamed up by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I'm just going to borrow them for a while to tell another story. This isn't for money, just for fun. This story also contains adult themes, like sex and violence so be warned. Then again, if you like sex and violence, come on down.

P.S.: still and always for Janice.

Nabiki was beginning to wonder about her sometimes boyfriend, currently girlfriend. Ranma had pulled out all the stops today, donning a Maoist style dark green outfit that made her look just this side of unbearably cute. The big smile she flashed the counter worker at Nabiki's favorite snack shop hadn't hurt either, and had gotten the redhead an extra large piece of cake that quickly disappeared into her seemingly bottomless stomach.

"How you eat like that, and never put on a pound is beyond me," she said, a little jealous at Ranma's ability to pack away sweets.

Ranma smiled, "I can't help it. Sweets taste so much better when I'm a girl. Besides, it takes a lot of calories to fight like I do."

"And here I thought you got your energy from a different kind of meal," Nabiki teased. She watched as Ranma blushed, and was about to make another innuendo when high pitched cries of pain reached their ears.

Ranma reacted instantly, jumping up on top of a wall in the direction of the yell and searching for danger. In the lot below, she saw three heavily bandaged forms surrounding a tall, lean black haired girl. A fourth bandaged attacker was on the ground nearby, holding its arm which seemed to be cut.

The three remaining attackers charged, and Ranma was about to leap down when the girl gave an evil smirk and whipped out her arm. A ribbon of some kind snaked out and lashed at the attackers. Whirling around the girl's body, it cut each bandaged foe in turn, forcing them all back with more cuts on their arms and bodies.

Ranma saw that it was over, and the attackers had given up, but the strange girl continued to twirl her ribbon, letting it snake out to strike again and again. She leaped down between the ribbon girl and the helpless wounded, and let her own arm flash out, channeling the tiniest amount of energy into it.

The girl looked surprised when Ranma easily caught her ribbon and let it wrap around her arm. She gave an experimental tug, and found that the redhead was far stronger then she looked.

Calmly Ranma spoke up, "Don't you think that's enough? You won a while ago."

Ignoring the question, the girl turned her head to look Ranma in the eye, showing her hair had been done in an off center ponytail. She quietly spoke, "You are not ordinary girl to have stopped my ribbon so easily."

"You have no idea," Ranma chuckled.

The black haired girl dropped the ribbon handle and flipped her hand behind her back, "Good, then I need not treat you with ordinary courtesy." With that she shot forward, pulling a small club out from behind her to strike at Ranma. Ranma ducked low fast, and executed a leg sweep, but the attacking girl vaulted over her, spinning in air to land a short distance away. Ranma simply turned and adjusted her stance to face the girl in a defensive pose.

The girl smirked again and spoke, "My, you are entertaining." She pulled out a flower and tossed it to Ranma, "I am Kodachi, The Black Rose. Remember that name." With that, she lightly jumped away, landing atop the wall, then jumped again to a nearby rooftop. As she receded into the distance, Ranma heard laughter, the kind that sent shivers down her spine threatening it to jump out and walk away, and the demonic side of Ranma felt it was like the shrieking of a hundred souls bound for oblivion.

To say the least, it was a little creepy.

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 11

Madness of the Black Rose

The attackers turned out to be girls from the Furinkan High gymnastics team, and Nabiki had brought them back to the dojo for a meeting with Akane. Ranma sat in on the powwow, still in girl form, and listened as the heavily injured girls explained their plight.

"Every member of the team has been taken out," Akane asked, startled.

One of the members nodded and explained, "Kodachi does it all the time, she takes out a school's team before any match, and the challenge is forfeited to her school. Any that survive to the match never last more then a few minutes against her. That's why we need you, Akane."

"Why me?"

Another team member chimed in, "You're the best female fighter in the school." Ranma bit her tongue to keep back a scathing criticism of Akane's position as top fighter and let the girls continue.

"So you need me to protect you until the match," Akane asked.

The girls all shock their heads, "We need you to compete, and it is Combat Gymnastics after all."

Ranma had to ask, "Combat Gymnastics?"

"It's just like regular Rhythmic Gymnastics, but the two competitors fight each other using the tools," another girl explained, "and the match is next week. You're the only one who can help us, Akane."

Nabiki and Ranma both winced as they saw a competitive fire light up in Akane's eyes.

She reached out and grasped the hands of her schoolmates and declared, "For the pride of our school and the honor of this dojo, I'll gladly accept." The girls all broke down into tears of joy and hugged Akane. Ranma tried not to gag.

"So the girl you fought back there was the opposition for this mess," Nabiki quietly asked Ranma.

"Yep."

"And you know how Akane fights, right?"

"Yep."

"Is this Kodachi person any good?"

"Yep."

Finally Nabiki asked the big question, "Do you think Akane can beat her?"

Ranma considered this, and then answered, "Nope."

The next day, Akane was hard at work learning the techniques needed in Gymnastics, and Ranma, once again in male form, was patiently watching. She had finished warming up and was about to begin with the clubs, when a small squeak could be heard from the door. Ranma and Akane both turned to see a small black piglet stumble into the dojo.

Akane instantly rushed over with a cry of, "P-Chan!" She pulled the pig in close and gave him a hug. Ranma said nothing, but shot a glower of hate that was not missed in the least by its small, pork target. Akane walked back to the center of the dojo and placed Ryoga down on the floor.

"Mommy has to work out now, so you stay out of the way," she chirped, "Ranma, look out for him, ok?" With that she moved back to start with the gymnastics tools again as Ryoga wandered over to sit next to Ranma.

Ranma leaned in and whispered, "You still haven't told her? God, P-Chan, what are you thinking?" The piglet could only sit and blush as Akane began to move, his eyes fixated on her. Ranma sighed, thinking about turning the little guy into a barbeque, but remembered his promise not to interfere just yet.

For the next half hour, Akane tried to use the tools in their proper form, but every time she attempted a basic move, she wound up miscuing and breaking something. Each time, Ranma forced himself from snapping off a sarcastic remark, and tried to give helpful tips to the girl.

When she tossed her clubs up and hit her head with them, "Think of the clubs like fighting sticks."

When she got wrapped tightly in her ribbon, "You need to keep the momentum up to keep from getting tangled up."

When she shattered a hoop, "Don't try and roll through a small hoop like that."

Finally she screamed at him, "Mind your own business, jerk!" Ranma could only shake his head as she continued to try and make the tools work for her, as opposed to working with the tools.

Kasumi came in to the dojo to retrieve the teens for lunch, and saw Akane's lack of progress. She gave a cheerful smile and said, "If you like I can help you, Akane."

"No thanks," Akane said dismissively, "This is for Combat Gymnastics. I need to be strong to beat this Kodachi girl."

Akane left to have lunch, and Kasumi stopped Ranma before he exited the dojo.

"What is going on, Ranma?"

With an exasperated smirk, Ranma explained about the upcoming challenge, and Akane's refusal of his help. Then he asked, "Why did you offer to help?"

"I used to be captain of the Furinkan gymnastics team before I graduated," she said, retrieving one of the clubs and tossing it lightly from one hand to another. "Tell me about this girl Akane is facing, maybe I've heard of her from the junior teams."

"She seems to be a decent fighter, better then Akane at the acrobatic stuff anyway," Ranma said, "She calls herself the Black Rose." The club in Kasumi's hands clattered to the floor at this.

A look of surprise crossed her face, and slowly dropped to a light frown, "Black Rose? Are you sure?"

Ranma grimaced, "Yeah. Is something wrong?"

Slowly, Kasumi turned and closed the dojo door, and in a lowered voice said, "The Black Rose is not an original name. It used to be my title when I was competing, but only in certain circles. Was there anything remarkable about her style?"

"Yeah," Ranma said, unnerved by the serious tone of Kasumi's voice, "She was able to cut through clothes with her ribbon. That's not something you can normally do." She saw the pensive look that Kasumi wore and stated, "You know what it is, don't you."

Kasumi nodded lightly and said, "Since she won't let me teach her, you will have to make sure she is ready for this, Ranma. If she fails, the cost could be more then school pride." With that, she once more schooled her expression into a peaceful smile and opened the dojo door to head back to the house. Ranma was left standing at the door, wondering what had just happened.

Unseen by both, the small form of Ryoga was under the steps, and had heard the severity in Kasumi's voice. To Ryoga there was nothing greater then his pride, so the idea that Akane, the loving girl that had opened her arms to him, was putting even more then that on the line disturbed him greatly. He began a long and dangerous trek into the Tendo house to find the most important thing he could find at the moment, the bathroom.

Back in the house, Ranma and Nabiki sat in Nabiki's room, having a lunch together and doing homework. As he completely failed to understand algebra, he told Nabiki about the strange encounter with Kasumi.

Nabiki considered his words and said, "I was two years behind her in school, so we didn't hang out much, but I do know that there were some things going on that she didn't want Daddy to find out about. As for the Black Rose, Kodachi is the first I've heard of to use the name."

"Kasumi seemed pretty sure about this," Ranma told her as he reached for another sandwich, "But it seemed like it was some kind of secret."

Nabiki frowned and pulled a binder out from under her bed. Seeing the questioning look on Ranma's face, she explained, "My personal notes from that year. I used to keep track of all the little rumors floating around out there, looking for any way to make a few quick yen on the side." She spent the next several minutes thumbing through it as Ranma finished eating.

"Well, I better get back down there and make sure your sister is ready, whatever that means," he said and began to leave.

Nabiki grabbed his leg, almost tripping him, and said, "Forgetting something?"

It took him a moment to understand, and Nabiki had to pucker her lips to help get the message across, but finally he leaned down and gave her the kiss she wanted. When he stood back up, both teens were smiling from the contact.

"Good to see you kiss well as a boy too," Nabiki teased and patted his behind when he turned to leave, causing him to jump slightly. Blushing, he left Nabiki to her research and headed down to the dojo. Heading in, he heard the sounds of Akane's movements, but they were heavier then he was used to, and when he looked in he saw Ryoga in human form, using the clubs to strike at a practice dummy from a distance.

"What's going on here?"

Akane smiled and said, "Ryoga heard about my fight. He's agreed to train me in weapon styles, isn't that great?"

"Really," growled Ranma, "can I speak to you for a moment in private, oh wandering master?"

"Um, sure," Ryoga stammered out when he saw the look of anger in Ranma's eyes. The two boys went back outside as Akane picked up the clubs and attempted to imitate Ryoga's throwing technique. Ranma pulled him around the corner of the house and placed a vice grip on Ryoga's arm, preventing the Lost Boy from retreating.

"I thought you were going to tell her about your curse, not give free lessons to the terminally clumsy," Ranma said in a low voice.

Ryoga forced himself to relax and looked Ranma in the eye, "Maybe you don't take pride seriously, but I do. Out of the two of us, I'm the one who uses weapons, so that makes me ideal to train her. Besides, this is part of my plan. Once she knows the real me, I can tell her about the curse."

Ranma frowned, "That almost sounds like a plan, but not a really good one." He let go of Ryoga and leaned against the side of the building. "The only downside I see to her training with you is she'll get better with that damn mallet of hers."

Ryoga gave an evil smile, "Then there's no downside at all." With that he locked eyes on the dojo door and marched with all his will in a straight line back in, making it on the second try. Grumbling about life in general, Ranma followed and sat back down to watch the new training.

Over the next several hours, Ryoga worked Akane hard. The clubs, hoop, ball, and ribbon each got a turn, and Ranma had to admit that Ryoga seemed to be a competent teacher. Unfortunately, Akane did not seem to be an apt student. It was long after the sun had set, and she was once again squirming on the floor, wrapped up in her own ribbon.

"I think that's enough special drilling for today," Ryoga said, "You are coming along nicely, and your ranged attacks are improving quite a bit."

"Thank you Sensei," Akane smiled up at him, and a heavy blush appeared on his face. Ryoga helped her out of the ribbon, and Ranma kept his mouth shut, waiting until Akane had gone back into the house to give Ryoga a piece of his mind.

"That was embarrassing to watch," Ranma told him bluntly, "And you, buttering her up like that. She's so far in over her head, but you could care less as long as you get close to her."

"I'm simply a loyal friend," Ryoga stated, his nose turned to the air, "You shouldn't be jealous."

Ranma closed his eyes and counted to ten, "I'm not jealous; I promised Nabiki that I'd look out for her sister. And here you are setting her up to fail." He heard a splash, and opened his eyes to see P-Chan trotting into the house. "Oh no you don't," he snarled and hopped after the piglet.

Inside, Akane had finished a quick soak in the tub to let her muscles relax after the prolonged workout. Flopping down on her bed form pure exhaustion, she considered the intense training she committed herself to.

"That was the toughest workout I've ever had," she mumbled into her pillow. She rolled onto her back, luxuriating in the softness of her bed, and opened her eyes. Her gaze sharpened instantly as she spotted a dark haired girl clinging to the ceiling above her bed decked out in a leotard, and holding a black rose in her mouth. Without a word the girl dropped the rose and pulled a large mace out from behind her, dropping from the ceiling to attack.

The girl yelled out, "Die, Furinkan harlot!" and swung the mace into Akane's bed. Fortunately, training with Ryoga had increased her reflexes, and she rolled out of the way and onto the floor. In an instant, she stood in a combat ready stance and glared at her attacker.

"Who are you," she asked, eyeing the girl's indecent looking outfit and getting ready to strike.

The girl bowed with a flourish and answered, "I am Kodachi, the Black Rose, and your opponent for the upcoming competition. I felt it appropriate to introduce myself and wish you a good match in the spirit of fair play."

Akane's jaw dropped and she yelled, "What's fair about attacking someone before a match?"

Kodachi chuckled, "I believe in a fair match, until then you are prey, nothing more."

"That's the dumbest thing I ever heard," Growled Akane, and was about to punch the girl's lights out, when her door slammed open and pinned Kodachi to the wall, and P-Chan bounded into the room with Ranma hot on his heels, a look of rage on the pigtailed boy's face.

The two of them bounced around the room, heedless of the chaos and destruction that followed in their wake. For a minute, Ranma and P-Chan played a game of high speed pinball in Akane's room, until they ran back out the door, leaving a frazzled looking Akane in their dust.

"Ranma," she yelled after him, "Stop picking on my pet pig!" She was about to give chase when Kodachi took the moment to resume her attack. Acting on instinct, Akane grabbed her desk chair off the floor and blocked the mace swing, spinning the chair to dislodge Kodachi's weapon and send in crashing to the floor.

Kodachi smiled at the effort and gave another little bow, "Impressive, Akane Tendo. Perhaps you may even be able to entertain me slightly in our match next week. For now, however, I bit you good evening." With another flick of her wrist, Kodachi pulled a ribbon from behind her and started it twirling in a large spiral, while simultaneously releasing a dozen black petal roses. The ribbon and roses came into contact, and an explosion of petals filled the room, blocking Akane's vision.

When the petal storm finally ended, most of her room had a black coating, and Kodachi had vanished through her open window into the night.

"Who," Akane stammered in rage, "Who's going to clean up this mess?!"

Outside on the roof, Kodachi chuckled at her own antics. Psyching out her opponent was half the fun to her. It was almost as good as breaking her opponent's spirit during the match.

She turned to hop away, when a black pig leaped out of the darkness and used her head as a springboard. This dazed her slightly and left her off balance when another form sped by her, holding what appeared to be a kettle. It felt like a kettle too, as it crashed into her forehead.

Ranma had been chasing Ryoga relentlessly to get a straight answer out of the boy, but Ryoga knew that he had no answers, so he continued to avoid any attempt by Ranma to revert him back to his human form. They had reached the high point of the roof, when Ranma felt something bounce off the kettle of hot water he was holding. Looking back into the night, he saw a female form dropping headfirst towards the ground.

He abandoned his pursuit of Ryoga and leapt to intercept the girl before she passed the porch overhang. Rebounding up, he landed lightly on the second floor roof with the girl cradled in his arms. Looking closer, he was surprised to discover Kodachi in a very revealing outfit.

He asked the girl, "Are you ok?"

She nodded and he set her down on the roof. She seemed to be giving him the once over, and he returned the favor. The high cut leotard showed of a great deal more of her figure then the conservative school uniform he had seen her in earlier, and clung to her athletic build very well showing off her long legs nicely.

He was distracted from being distracted by her body when she threw herself onto him, sobbing suddenly, "Oh, I was so frightened. Thank you for your timely rescue. May I ask your name, gallant sir?"

Remembering that Kodachi did not know about his curse, he scratched the back of his head and said, "Um, Ranma Saotome."

She bowed to him, and with a flourish produced a small bouquet of black flowers, "Here, kind sir, a token of my gratitude for your brave rescue." With that she held the flowers in Ranma's face, and he was about to politely refuse them when he saw the look in Kodachi's eyes.

It was the look of a hunter about to pounce, and he knew it well as he had seen it on the face of his dark reflection when he had dove into his own mind to battle his demonic nature. This girl was a predator.

Before he could pull away, Kodachi pulled a string at the bottom of the bouquet causing a cloud of dark, aromatic smoke to shoot into Ranma's face. He quickly knocked the flowers away, but could already feel a tingle running through his body. He took one step back and his knees collapsed. Kodachi watched him sink to the roof and advanced on him slowly.

"A small dose of paralysis potion, brave sir," She said, kneeling beside him. "Its effects are temporary, but effective." She examined his form again and placed a hand on his chest, "To think that one such as you exists. So graceful in action, and strong of form. I must say, I regret my decision to cloister myself in an all female school, for it has denied me this most carnal of delights."

As she spoke, her hands were busy finding the detail of his form, following the contours of his muscled chest, and finally resting on the waistband of his pants. Feeling daring she allowed her fingers to explore this forbidden region.

Unable to move, Ranma let out a small 'Eep' and in his mind began to chant, _Nabiki help, Nabiki help, Nabiki help…"_

It began to be hard for him to focus on this chant however, as Kodachi began to massage him in a most erotic manner. He found it difficult to ignore the sensations of an almost nude girl glomping him tormenting him in such a way even without his demon side. After all, he was still male. He tried to fight, but every muscle in his body felt like a hundred tons of lead.

He began to sweat when she slid down his body and gasped, "Such a fine manhood. I will make it mine to use forever." She began to lower her head and open her mouth to claim him, when a sharp whistle pierced the night.

Nabiki stood on the roof a few meters away, having rapidly climbed a ladder in only a robe when she heard the desperate plea for help from Ranma. She stood with the moon behind her, forming a halo around her hair as a seemingly nonexistent wind gently blew it about.

"Don't you think it's a little impolite to do that," Nabiki asked the kneeling girl. Kodachi was about to answer with a flippant remark, when an unseen force rammed into her, sending her flying across the roof. Nabiki's eyes were locked on the girl, and the wind around her seemed to pick up, "Now get lost!"

Again, a force slammed into the Black Rose, this time smacking her high into the air on a path to land outside the Tendo compound. A loud crash was heard, and Nabiki visibly relaxed, the air around her once again still, and dropped to the roof next to Ranma, breathing hard.

"That's still hard to do," she panted out.

Ranma grunted, "What…took…you…"

Nabiki chuckled and looked at him, "I can't fly, Remember? I had to climb up here on a ladder. Why didn't you just fight her off, Mr. Martial Artist?"

"Can't…move…"

Nabiki sat up and poked Ranma in the side eliciting a grunt, but not even a flinch from the prone boy. Next she tried to lift one of his arms, and found no resistance at all, and dropped it with a thud back to the roof.

"That sick little tart," Nabiki exclaimed, "She was going to jump you like this?" She considered Ranma for a moment and stood, "Well we can't leave you out here like this, but there's no way I can carry you back down." She thought for a moment, and then began to concentrate once again, trying to lift Ranma's immobile form with her mental powers. After only a few moments, she sat back down, gasping for air.

"Ok, that won't work," she said, "I used up a lot of energy getting rid of the slut in the spandex."

"Now…what…?"

Nabiki thought for a moment, "I guess I'll go get some blankets and we can try and spend the night up here." She went back to the ladder, and minutes later returned with a large bundle under one arm. She laid out a futon mat on the roof and used a stapler to pin it in place on the tiles, then rolled Ranma onto it so he would be more comfortable. She joined him on the mat and pulled a large blanket over the two of them, cuddling up close.

As she positioned herself, her hand brushed over his still exposed privates. She giggled at the realization that she hadn't pulled her fiancé's pants back up and cooed into his ear.

"Little Ranma sad about being interrupted?"

"Not…with…crazy….girl…"

Nabiki chuckled again and brushed Ranma's member, "And me?

Ranma grunted and said, "Better…if…I…could…move…"

Nabiki kissed him and said, "Then let me do the work for now."

She began to slowly tease him, he hands dancing lightly across his form, and she felt warm feelings coming from him, unlike the panic from his last encounter only minutes ago. She knew that she was welcome to him, and gladly accepted this, and in thanks gave him pleasure.

She did not take him fully, and instead used other methods to bring him pleasure, and under her tender care even paralysis could not stop the young man from squirming under her. Her hands, her lips and even her breasts were all used to touch, hold, and take Ranma, and she found that his barely contained passion for her was like a psychic drug, one that she found herself enjoying almost as much as he did.

Finally finished, she crawled up from under the blanket to see Ranma's reaction, and was not disappointed. His grin was wide, and eyes crossed from the orgasmic bliss he had just received.

When his eyes finally focused on her, he saw her once again haloed in moonlight, her robe dropped off her shoulders, an a twinkle of amusement in her eyes.

"You…are…so…wonderful…"

Nabiki lay her head down on his chest and sighed with mock scorn, "You just saying that because I gave you an awesome blowjob."

"There's…that…too…" he chuckled and enjoyed her closeness as they both drifted to sleep.

Across town the mood was not as light. Kodachi stormed into her private area of her family residence and began cursing loudly. Her attendant, one of the girls from her gymnastics team dressed in a tiny maid outfit, was waiting for her and bowed deeply.

"How did your meeting with the Tendo girl go, Mistress Black Rose?"

Kodachi snapped and backhanded the girl, knocking her to the floor, "She was skilled prey, but I am vexed by what happened afterwards."

The girl stood up and began to help Kodachi remove hidden weapons.

"What transpired to place you in this temperament, Mistress," She asked submissively. Kodachi strode away and the maid hurried to follow. They entered Kodachi's private bath, and her maid helped her out of her leotard.

It was only when she was seated and her maid had begun to wash her that she responded, "I encountered a man," she said, and the girl gave a soft whimper of disappointment, "Hush, you."

"Yes, Mistress."

Kodachi continued, "He appeared out of the night, his form that of a Greek god, yet he was light of step and touch." She sighed in remembrance, "I was introducing myself to his considerable presence, when I was attacked by an apparition of some sort."

"An apparition?"

Kodachi nodded and lifted her arms to be cleaned, "A woman in a long robe who seemed to control the very winds themselves. This demon woman forced me away from my gallant knight just as he was about to profess his love for me. She must be holding him hostage under some spell."

After long experience with her Mistress, the young gymnast knew enough not to question her on this. Not unless she wanted to spend the night being whipped. And while a few of the other members of the team enjoyed that, she did not, so she simply nodded and kept washing Kodachi's athletic form.

"This Ranma Saotome is a fine man. Perhaps he is even worthy to sit at my feet," Kodachi mused, feeling her nipples harden at the thought.

Her maid quietly said, "I believe I have heard other servants in the house speak that name, Mistress. He seems to have caused quite the stir at the local public school."

Kodachi nodded at this news, "Find out what you can from those worthless louts. I believe a visit to Furinkan is in order. First I will wish my opponent a good day…"

"The sledge hammer, Mistress?"

"No, I think I will use one of one of my brothers little toys," Kodachi answered.

"I'll retrieve it for you first thing in the morning."

"Very good. Then I will pay my Ranma a visit, and return here to make sure his is appropriately trained to act as my consort." She let loose with a long laugh. Her servant, having long ago gotten accustomed to the nerve shaking sound, simply finished her duty and rinsed off Kodachi. The Black Rose nodded in approval and stood, and started a sauntering walk to the large tub on the other side of the room.

"Join me," she commended, "I will need your ministrations to ease myself until I encounter my Ranma again." The young gymnast nodded and disrobed, following her Mistress into the tub.

Even further away then that, Shampoo had begun to track her prey to a port city on the coast of China. It had taken a great deal of persuasion and outright violence to some of the local fishermen, but she had learned that the demon, and apparently a pet panda, were here only a few weeks ago. She had thought the demon girl would have used a boat to escape Amazon justice, but it appeared that she had simply jumped into the sea and began swimming for the island nation of Japan.

She had to admire the tenacity of her prey, as the long swim would be a challenge worthy of an Amazon.

That stopped her for a moment. There was something about a challenge, but it seemed so distant. She dismissed the thought as a dream and focused on the task at hand. She remembered the words of the Chosen One. The girl she tracked was a threat to the entire tribe, and that had to mean that she would be a skilled warrior.

Shampoo considered following her prey's example and using the swim as training, but she knew that swiftness was called for. After all, the sooner she could kill the demon and return to the Chosen One, the sooner the threat would be over.

It was then that she saw her opportunity. A ship was just leaving the port, and from her interrogation of a very frightened worker earlier that evening, she knew it was bound for Tokyo Bay.

She leapt into action, running with all her speed down the docks and jumping at the last second to grab the anchor chain. Moving fast, but quietly, she scaled the chain and moved from shadow to shadow, searching for a place to hide during the voyage.

In two weeks, she would be in Nerima, ready to kill.

To be continued.


	12. DEVO was Right

Author's Note: Ranma's world was dreamed up by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I'm just going to borrow them for a while to tell another story. This isn't for money, just for fun. This story also contains adult themes, like sex and violence so be warned. Then again, if you like sex and violence, come on down.

P.S.: still and always for Janice.

Kodachi awoke with the sun, luxuriating in the feel of her satin sheets against her skin. She felt the pleasant weariness from the night's activities, and the warm press of flesh that indicated her teammate was still snuggled up to her.

For a moment, she was tempted to ravish the girl once again, but she remembered that she had many plans for today. She sat up and stretched, her proud breasts bouncing lightly with the shift of muscles. Slowly she extracted herself from her bedmate and stood and turned to undo the padded handcuffs on her slumbering servant.

The girl awoke and looked up at Kodachi with a wide smile, "I hope I was satisfactory, Mistress."

Kodachi nodded and kissed the girl on the forehead, "You did well, my slave. Now be a love and assemble the team this afternoon for practice, we need to prepare for the battle this weekend."

The girl nodded and got out of bed to retrieve her clothes from the floor. As she bent over and exposed her shapely bottom, Kodachi fought down the urge to tie her up again and skip her morning classes.

She forced herself to remember her goals for today. To strike again at the Tendo girl that was to be her opponent, and to seek out her soon to be male consort, Ranma Saotome. She would need to be ready for this; after all she had encountered an unknown force when she had attempted to retrieve what would be hers. She would attack and observe, and perhaps the identity of her mystery obstacle would become known.

Oh, she did so enjoy the thrill of the hunt.

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 12

DEVO was Right

Ranma, Nabiki and Akane were walking together this morning, and Akane wasn't happy about it. After the attack the previous night Nabiki had insisted that they needed to be alert for the antics of the potentially psychotic Kodachi, but Akane was insulted by the idea that anyone needed to look out for her.

"It's not just you I'm worried about, Sis," Nabiki told her.

Ranma simply kept his mouth shut, something he was beginning to get the hang of. Kodachi had spooked him last night, though he didn't admit it. The idea of forcing someone into something like that was downright abhorrent to him, and was why he had fought so hard against his demon side.

Then there was the warning Kasumi had given him. She hadn't said it outright, but he believed that she was holding back something. In the short time he had spent with the Tendos, Kasumi had impressed him with her ability to keep a level head no mater what, a trait that Nabiki seemed to share with her for the most part. But the fact that the oldest Tendo girl had admitted that there were spots in her past that my have bearing now caused him to wonder how much of the homemaker was for the benefit of the rather old fashioned Tendo patriarch.

He put the matter aside for the moment and watched as Akane and Nabiki traded greetings with their respective classmates. He was about to follow Nabiki on her morning rounds of the various betting pools and information pickups, when he spotted a shadow over Akane and looked up to see a form descending to attack.

He yelled out, "Look out!"

Just as he was about to jump and intercept the attack with a kick, the form resolved into Kodachi, and a knot of apprehension delayed him. Fortunately Akane had heard his warning and was already blocking the attack. Using her bare hand, she caught the kendo sword before it made contact with her skull, and Kodachi alighted in front of her.

"Ambushing me first thing in the morning," snarled Akane, "are you insane?"

Kodachi looked surprised, "Ambush? What absurdity. I have graced this drab school to visit my darling Ranma, but I doubt a lowly trollop such as you would know him."

Akane sighed and gestured behind her, "Duh, he's right there." With a heave, she levered the sword, and Kodachi and threw then towards the pigtailed boy, "Why don't you go see the jerk?!"

Seeing the mad gymnast flip through the air on course with him, Ranma did a one-eighty and began to beat a hasty retreat. As he heard Kodachi call after him, he increased his pace. Passing Nabiki he gave a little wave, and a pained smile, and she instantly knew that it was going to be an interesting morning. Ranma turned back around just in time to see the freshly healed Kuno standing in his path.

In a heartbeat, Kuno executed a lightning fast sword jab at Ranma, who had already jumped over it to plant his foot in Kuno's face, landing in front of the dazed Kendoist.

Shacking himself, Kuno asked Ranma, "Do you have something against me?"

Ranma calmly answered, "You keep trying to kill me for no reason."

He was about to jump over the idiot, when a rush of air and an impact let him know that he had just been glomped from behind. Judging from the rose scent, and the way his skin was trying to crawl off his body and go somewhere safe, like Aruba, he guessed that the breasts pressing into his back, and the hands roaming his chest were Kodachi's.

He was about to jump away yet again, when Kuno developed a contemplative look.

"I approve," he declared, "You may marry my sister at your discretion."

Kodachi tightened her grip and Ranma gasped out in shock, "Your sister?!"

Suddenly a voice rang out, "GET YOUR GRUBBY HANDS OFF RANMA YOU FUCKING SLUT!!!" Nabiki stormed in and forcibly removed Kodachi from Ranma's back, then got right in Kuno's face, "There is a thin line between being a customer and being my enemy, Kuno, and you just came dangerously close to crossing it."

Kuno gave an oblivious smile and stated, "But it is a perfect match. My twisted sister has affection for the knave Saotome, and with their union he will be forced to release the pig tailed girl. Then she and your lovely sister, Akane Tendo, may enter my embrace and enjoy all that comes from being members of the great House Kuno."

"Hey," Ranma growled at him, "I've already got a fiancé. I want nothing to do with your (shiver) sister."

Instantly Kodachi was in front of him, tears in her eyes, "Do you mean to say that you dislike me?"

"Lady," Ranma smirked, "you just hit the jackpot."

Kodachi's face became a mask of anger, "And who is this harlot you claim is betrothed to you?"

Nabiki stood next to Ranma and answered, "That would be me, bitch."

Kodachi's arm shot out, and her ribbon appeared to slice through the space Nabiki was in, but Ranma had reacted fast. Grabbing Nabiki, he had jumped back several feet and over Akane who charged in as the ribbon was in its back swing. In Akane's hands was a large wooden mallet, and it struck home on the ground that Kodachi had been standing in only a second before. The gymnast somersaulted away and landed with a sneer on her face.

"So the whelp I am to face wishes to protect my Ranma, does she?"

Akane pulled up her mallet and stood ready to attack again, "No, you just tried to take my sister's head off, you nut. You can have the freak for all I care."

Nabiki gave a low snarl, "Akane…"

"An excellent notion," Kodachi said, "if I defeat you this Saturday then Ranma will be mine."

As Ranma and Nabiki were about to object, Akane answered, "Agreed."

"What are you doing," Nabiki growled.

Akane gave a confident smirk, "Don't worry, I can't lose against her."

Kodachi laughed and whipped her ribbon into a spiral, "Oh but you can, little girl, and you will. Then Ranma will be mine." With that she began a long laugh and jumped high to the school wall, trailing black rose petals behind her.

Nabiki grabbed her sister's shoulder, squeezing hard enough to make Akane wince, "What do you think you are doing?"

"Knock it off, Nabiki," Akane said, "Besides, it's not like you really care about him. You're probably just using him for one of your little schemes. And only a freak like Kodachi could love a freak like him."

Akane was interrupted by a slap from her sister across the face that stunned her into silence. But between Akane's verbal jabs, and Kuno telling him to take care of his sister after the wedding, Ranma had heard enough and jumped away, dashing into the woods. Nabiki returned her expression to a closed look and stared intently at her sister.

She calmly spoke, "Grow up soon, little sister, or I will stop protecting you from yourself." She spun on one heel and walked after Ranma, fighting down her rage and seeking the inner calm she needed to find him again.

It took her an hour to locate him deep in the forested area at the edge of town, and when she did she was able to feel the depression and rage coming from Ranma. She stood at the edge of the small clearing he was in and watched as he yelled an unintelligible cry and launched a barrage of his lightning fast punches at a tree, reducing it to toothpicks.

Finally he calmed down enough so that Nabiki felt safe making her presence known and walked up to him.

"Hey, Ranma," she said in greeting. He looked up from where he crouched after releasing all his pent up rage and grunted a reply. She continued, "I'm sorry about Akane, she doesn't know what she's talking about."

"I suppose," he sighed, "but every time I turn around, I'm getting forced into things I want nothing to do with. First I get dragged around the world on that stupid training trip. Then I wind up in some honor duel with my only friend that I'm forced to run out on. Then I get dragged away from the Amazons just when I was starting to feel happy." He sighed again and looked up at Nabiki, "Meeting you was great, but it's the only good thing to come out of returning to Japan so far."

Nabiki sat on the ground beside him and picked up a twig, "I guess I can understand it. I want to become a career woman, build a real business, that kind of thing. Dad isn't fond of the idea though, it's too modern for a traditionalist like him, so I thought I'd be stuck as some little homemaker when I heard about the arranged marriage. I nearly panicked at the idea, but you didn't seem to be hung up on the idea of tradition like our fathers, so I decided to see where we could end up."

"And…"

"I really started caring about you. You try and understand that I'm not some ditzy girl, and you helped me to understand my special abilities. You genuinely seem to care as well." Then she added as an afterthought, "The sex is pretty good too."

That caused Ranma to blush heavily and mock punch her in the arm, "Thanks, I think."

"Today was looking to be a nice, almost normal day where we could have sat back and enjoyed ourselves. But then Akane gets on her high horse and pisses me off," Nabiki said, snapping the twig in her hands. The two of them sat in companionable quiet for a while, each simply trying to find comfort in the other.

Finally Ranma turned and looked Nabiki in the eyes, "Back in China Shampoo told me that she loved me. At first I didn't believe it, but during the short stay with her I found out just how serious it was. When Pops dragged me away, I told her that I loved her too. Now here I am, and I'm falling for another girl, one who understands me like Shampoo." He looked down and gathered himself, "Maybe Akane is right. Maybe I am a two timing jerk."

Nabiki took Ranma's face in her hands and made him look at her again, "I don't look at it that way. You love Shampoo, and maybe you love me, I don't know, but we, Shampoo and I, both have feelings for you in different ways. She loves the warrior in you, the brave soul who stands up for those in need and defends his friends no matter what." She took a deep breath and collected herself, "And I love the person you are that tries to overcome every obstacle and challenge in his way."

Ranma looked confused for a moment, "But what about Shampoo? I can't abandon her for you or you for her."

Nabiki smiled, "I've met Shampoo in your mind, remember? She's tough, but smart, and cares about doing the right thing as much as you do. I think we'll get along fine, maybe as wives or sisters, maybe more. We won't know until she arrives."

Ranma nodded and Nabiki lowered her hands to rest on his shoulders. She could tell that a lot was going on behind the eyes of the young man and felt that he was gaining back some of his confidence.

Finally he asked, "Do you love me?"

She almost giggled at the innocent hope in his voice, and she nodded with a smile.

"Good," he said, "then I feel better about loving you." He leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips. He was about to pull away when she decided to open her mouth and brush his lips with her tongue. Getting the hint, he opened his own mouth slightly and let her explore inside as his tongue worked its way into her mouth.

The two of them stayed like that for a time when Nabiki finally let the kiss end and smiled at Ranma, "I guess we're going to miss morning classes again."

"Oh, great," Ranma groaned, "Yet another reason for my teacher to yell at me. Goody goody." That got a giggle out of Nabiki, and Ranma enjoyed the sensation of watching her smile.

Nabiki moved to sit in his lap and wrapped her arms and legs around him, and said in a suggestive voice, "So, do you want to make the absence worth while?"

Ranma blushed and looked away for a moment, "I…I don't know if I'm ready for that yet."

"Are you sure," Nabiki asked, "Last night on the roof you seemed to enjoy the preview. And it never seems to bother you as a girl much."

"It's different," Ranma sadly said, "I know it's a stupid excuse, but if we…well…do it…then I really will feel like I'm betraying Shampoo. I'm sorry, but she is my wife, and I want to work it all out between the three of us before we go too far. There's also the fact that if our parents found out, we'd be hitched by the end of the day."

Nabiki groaned at that, "You're right on that account, but I'm getting a little tired of waiting. I understand that you feel bad about screwing around behind Shampoo's back, but I have needs too, you know."

"I'm sorry," Ranma apologized sadly, "I never wanted to hurt you in any way. But I don't want to hurt Shampoo either."

Nabiki lowered her head to rest on Ranma's shoulder and let out a sigh, "You are just too damn nice for your own good, you know that don't you?" He gave an affirmative noise and she continued, "Good thing it's one of the reasons I love you."

"Thanks," he said and gave her a large hug.

She returned it, but looked him in the eye afterwards, "There are consequences however. No more blowjobs for you until I get the whole thing."

Ranma gave a little pout and sigh of sadness, and Nabiki giggled at the look and bopped him on the chest. He smiled in return, but countered by tickling the insides of her arms. Soon they were running around the woods in a game of tickle tag.

Fortunately they were able to maintain their attitude for the remainder of the week leading up to the match. Akane never apologized, but managed to remain civil to them, so Ranma rejoined her in the training hall to monitor her progress.

Ryoga had actually managed to make it back on time to train with Akane again for two more sessions, and using Ranma as a target to demonstrate any new technique. Then the Lost Boy had lived up to his name, went to get a glass of water for a thirsty Akane, and disappeared into the sunset off the coast of Waikiki.

The day before the match, Akane had received the uniform for the Furinkan Girls Gymnastics Team, a simple yellow leotard that was cut high on the legs, but did nothing to flatter her figure.

Ranma watched as she jumped through her routine grabbing the gymnastic based weapons along the way and trying to attack him at the same time. He could tell that Ryoga's hardcore training had taken hold, and Akane was missing him by only inches as he dodged around the dojo.

"Would you sit still and let me practice on you," Akane yelled at him.

He retorted from the ceiling, "Of course not. The idea is to improve your aim against a moving target. Kodachi isn't going to sit still and just let you pummel her you know."

"Well I need someone to practice with since Ryoga vanished," she retorted, "So get down here and take it seriously."

Ranma dropped down, "You have no idea how serious I'm taking this." _After all, _he continued in his mind, _if you lose, so do I._

He was about to execute a light attack with the hoop sitting at his feet, when a small squeal came from the door.

"P-Chan," Akane exclaimed and ran over to hug the piglet as it trudged in dragging a small box. Ranma slumped his shoulders and cursed under his breath as he saw Ryoga almost pop a blood vessel at seeing Akane in her leotard.

"So where have you been, Pork Butt," he grumbled at the pig, who squealed angrily at him.

Akane examined the box Ryoga had dragged in and declared, "These are cinnamon crackers from Hiroshima, and tea cakes from Kyoto. Aren't you a strong little piggy to bring these home." She snuggled the pig close again and gave it a small kiss on the forehead, and Ranma pantomimed retching behind Akane's back.

Finally, Ranma said, "Come on, Akane. You need to finish up practice so you'll be ready tomorrow."

"I know," she replied, and stood grasping a pair of clubs.

She charged, and Ranma grabbed the hoop on the floor with his toes and tossed it into his hands to deflect the attack. Dodging out of the way of a particularly aggressive thrust, he hooked the inside of the hoop around her extended club and twisted, dislodging it from her grip. Quickly Akane spun away and ducked into a roll along the floor. When she came up she held a ribbon in her hands and charged again, bringing the tool back to lash out.

Ranma ducked to one side, and Akane began to turn to redirect her attack, but she failed to notice a gymnastics ball on the floor and put her foot down on top of it. Her legs went wide as she lost her footing and she landed heavily on her leg, instantly curling up and holding her ankle, wincing in pain.

An hour later, she was sitting on her bed with a bandage wrapped around her ankle, and Kasumi closing the first aid kit.

"You will have to visit the Doctor in the morning, but from what I see, you haven't broken anything," the eldest Tendo sister told her as Ranma and Nabiki stood by leaning against the wall of the room.

"That's good to know," Akane said and began to stand up, "I still have to get ready for tom…" Letting out a small gasp of pain, she stopped her attempt to stand and rolled back onto the bed.

Kasumi frowned slightly and said, "I was going to say next that it's probably sprained, and you won't be able to do any intensive activity for a week or so. It looks like we'll have to find a replacement for you."

"That's easy to say," Akane said, "but where are we going to find a girl in school who's that nimble, knows martial arts, and looks good in a leotard?"

Everyone in the room sighed and Ranma thought, _So much for my freedom._

Suddenly the three Tendo girls all looked up simultaneously.

Kasumi said, "A girl who's nimble…"

Akane continued, "And knows martial arts…"

Nabiki finished, "And looks good in a leotard."

Ranma added, "Oh, crap."

The three girls looked at him and nodded in confirmation.

Nabiki added, "You wanted some control over your life, may as well take the opportunity."

"Whoopee," Ranma deadpanned.

Suddenly cold water poured over his head, and he shrunk to a she. Looking back, she saw a smug looking Ryoga in human form holding a small pail.

"Looks like we'll have to pull an all nighter to get you ready," the boy said condescendingly. He grabbed Ranma by the arm and began dragging her down to the dojo.

Kasumi and Nabiki followed at a distance and Kasumi quietly asked, "Is it me, or does Ryoga look a little to happy to be training Ranma?"

Nabiki gave shrug and said, "He still doesn't like Ranma, so he probably is looking to train him the wrong way so she'll get humiliated tomorrow. Ryoga has a pretty one track mind, you know."

Kasumi nodded and turned to head back upstairs at the door as Nabiki continued to follow the boy and neo-girl out to the dojo.

Once they got inside Ranma rounded on the Lost Boy, "Ok, what's the deal."

Seeing that Nabiki was giving him a cold glare, Ryoga managed, "Nothings wrong, I'm just making sure that Akane's replacement will be up to the task."

"You mean your going to beat her senseless so she'll be out of the way while you molest my little sister," Nabiki chimed in from the corner.

"Of cour…NO! Not at all," Ryoga said in a slight panic. He took a deep breath and looked at Ranma again, "The concept of Combat Rhythmic Gymnastics is to use only the tools for attack and defense. All other styles are illegal, so Ranma is at a disadvantage seeing as he has little experience with weapons."

Nabiki nodded, "Good cover, but I know the truth."

Ryoga was a little creeped out by the piercing stare Nabiki had fixed him with and began to sweat, "OK! Maybe I don't want Ranma to win, but can you blame me."

The two girls in the room chorused out, "Yes!"

"Fine," he growled, "but I'll still see that you lose!" With that he lashed out with a ribbon, trying to wrap it around Ranma's neck in a choking grip. Ranma flipped away, leaving a hoop in her place to catch the attack, but Ryoga recoiled his weapon quickly and let it fly again A loud crack was heard and the ribbon fell to the ground, half it's length severed.

The two combatants and Nabiki looked up to the door of the dojo to see Kasumi standing in a robe, a black ribbon twirling in her hand.

She smiled lightly and politely said to Ryoga, "If you don't mind, I'd like to take over Ranma's training now."

Ryoga looked confused for a moment, and then shook his head, "I'm sorry ma'am, but this is combat training, I don't think you can help here." Kasumi's ribbon flashed out again and struck Ryoga in the forehead, and three of his bandannas drifted to the floor severed in half. He blinked and gulped, "Then again…"

"Thank you for understanding," Kasumi smiled and moved out of the doorway, "We will see you at the competition tomorrow, Ryoga. Have a nice night." The boy stumbled out of the building in shock, and Kasumi closed the door behind him. "Now then, what I say and do in here does not go beyond these walls, is that understood?"

Nabiki looked at her older sister, then at Ranma who was still staring at the cut cloth on the floor, then answered, "I don't think either of us will have a problem with that." Ranma simply nodded her agreement.

Kasumi nodded in response and undid her robe, letting it drop to the floor. Underneath she wore a leotard of shining green, cut high on the hip to show off her long legs, and cut low over the chest to show considerable cleavage. It appeared to be a size too small as her breasts strained the fabric and her nipples and lower lips were quite visible as her form was shown off in heart stopping detail, letting anyone who saw this know that Kasumi was indeed a woman of unadulterated beauty.

But even this display of sexual form did not distract Ranma and Nabiki away from the large shape printed over Kasumi's right breast.

"A black rose," Nabiki asked.

"No," Kasumi replied, beginning to stretch out, "The Black Rose. When I was sixteen I became the captain of Furinkan High's gymnastics team and earned that name when I won the All Japan Combat Gymnastics Championship."

"How come I never heard about this," Nabiki asked as Ranma picked her jaw up off the floor.

Kasumi blushed and shrugged, causing her leotard to stretch in interesting ways, "At the time the tournament was strictly underground. Father never knew about it, and for good reason." When the other girls looked at her questioningly, she continued, "The full title is known as The Black Rose Queen, and I held the title because I was dominant over all the other girls."

Ranma looked confused, but Nabiki gasped at the realization, "Oh, my. You mean you…but that's not like you, Sis."

"You'd be surprised what I was like back then," Kasumi chuckled, "Didn't you ever wonder why I had a teammate over almost every night for a while?" Nabiki nodded understanding, but Ranma still looked confused. She explained, "The Black Rose Queen is attended to by her servants, her teammates. When the title was given to me it was because my team had decided to serve any needs I had, be they academic, like tutoring me if my grades were down in a subject; social, like when I needed to be alone for a reason or wanted someone to talk to; or even…sexual. I was their Mistress, and they were my beloved slaves. That's what I mean when I say dominant."

Ranma took a long time to digest this, while Nabiki simply sank to the floor watching as Kasumi shifted her posture from that of a housewife, to that of confidence and regal bearing. The change was like another person had stepped into the room to replace her sister, but then she remembered. Nabiki had seen Kasumi stand like that before, back when she just started attending Furinkan Nabiki had seen her sister walking with a group of friends, and Kasumi had stood like that, as the leader of the pack.

She walked as the Black Rose Queen.

Ranma saw the change too, and something deep inside of her took note. She could feel old memories, like the ones that surfaced every now and then in association with her powers. These memories told her that Kasumi was powerful, not like a demon, but a strong will that could be almost unbeatable.

Kasumi spoke, "I still keep in touch with many of my old teammates, and a few of them have heard of the pretender, Kodachi Kuno, who uses my name. While I led with a stern hand balanced by love, she abuses her power. According to one report, if Kodachi fancies an opponent, she will go to extra lengths to defeat her, capture her, and break her to serve. That was never my way; all those who served me did so of their own free will."

Ranma could almost feel the confidence radiate off Kasumi and part of her wanted to challenge the older girl, to attain that dominant aura. That part was the competitive, martial artist in her. Another part recognized what Kasumi was, and wanted to learn from her.

"How do I beat Kodachi, then," the redhead asked.

Kasumi smiled again and answered, "That is what I'm going to teach you, if you are willing. I never relinquished my title so it is my right to chose someone to take it back. Do you accept?" Ranma gulped, and nodded. Then Kasumi turned to Nabiki, "I have to ask you a favor as well, little sister. If Ranma is to learn, I'll need someone to help him practice. I know you are close, so will you help her?"

"You want me to play slave so Ranma can figure out how to be queen," Nabiki asked, "Kinky, but I'll do it." She stood and Kasumi gave her a loving smile.

Her smile shifted to a confident smirk, and her ribbon snaked out to lash at Nabiki several times. Each strike cut away a piece of clothing, leaving Nabiki standing in only her bra and panties. Nabiki reeled back in surprise and Ranma darted in front of her to block a blow.

"What are you doing," Ranma yelled at Kasumi.

With a flick Kasumi's ribbon undid the ties on Ranma's shirt, letting her large breasts bounce out, and another flick snapped at her nipples sending a shockwave of pleasure and pain through Ranma's body. She collapsed, covering her breasts and left Nabiki open to another strike that tossed her bra away.

"This is the first lesson, Ranma," Kasumi said in a soft voice as the attack ended, "A Mistress needs to be able to protect what is hers." Her voice hardened, "Now get up and try again."

Ranma stood, determination on her face, and picked up a baton off the floor. She watched as Kasumi spun the ribbon around herself as a shield and tried to figure out how the older girl's attacks were so precise. Kasumi launched another attack, kicking a ball towards Ranma and letting her ribbon follow. Ranma knocked the ball away with the baton and tried to intercept the ribbon, but it went slack at the last second, falling to the floor.

Suddenly Kasumi jerked her arm up and the ribbon snapped upwards, striking Ranma between the legs in a very specific way. Ranma's eyes rolled back as she felt the pressure of the ribbons passage through her pants, and was glad she still had them on. The pause however was enough to allow Kasumi to roll past him and strike at Nabiki again; grabbing her last piece of clothing with a gymnastic rope and pulling them down and off. Nabiki landed on her nude bottom and looked up at a very imposing Kasumi who sensually growled, "On your knees."

She almost obeyed, when Ranma's baton spun between Kasumi's legs, catching in her feet and causing her to lose her footing. Ranma did a handspring and was in front of Nabiki in less then a second and grabbing Kasumi's dropped ribbon as she cartwheeled away.

"Mine," Ranma declared as Kasumi retrieved a hoop.

"Good," Kasumi answered, "But do not let anger control you. Assert your dominance with will alone, and you may be able to defeat me." She jumped into the air, flipping through the hoop and landed behind Nabiki, the hoop around her.

Nabiki found herself pressed into her sister, and as the hoop twisted, she was forced to her knees in front of Kasumi's spandex covered crotch. At this close range she could not help but smell the arousal coming off her sister's sex as the battle for dominance progressed.

Ranma spun in place and sent her ribbon flying at Kasumi who brought the hoop up, releasing Nabiki and catching the ribbon around its outer edge. The two girls spun towards each other and soon both of them had hands on the hoop. Kasumi shifted position, dropping the hoop and using her toes to grab the cast off baton on the floor and bring it up to rub against Ranma's inner thigh, but Ranma spun the hoop around and caught Kasumi over the shoulders, forcing her to the ground.

As Kasumi went down, Ranma felt the baton smack into her behind, but it didn't matter as she had the older girl exactly where she wanted her. Reaching behind her, she grabbed the baton Kasumi held in her foot, pulled it free, and brought it around and used it to lever Kasumi's face into her crotch.

"Now who's dominant," Ranma said. She knew the answer when she felt Kasumi rub her face into her crotch, and a few probing tongue strokes could be felt through her pants.

She blinked in surprise as she realized her voice was stronger then she thought it would be. It took her a moment to realize that pleasure was flooding through her. She had made a queen fall to her knees and lick her. She released Kasumi and stumbled back slightly.

"That was the second lesson," Kasumi said calmly from the floor, "what it feels like to possess control. It's a little odd, isn't it?"

Ranma leaned against the wall, catching her breath and said, "No, I've felt it before."

Kasumi gave a questioning look, and Nabiki spoke up, "One of the succubus powers that we uncovered is a kind of hypnosis. Ranma can use it to influence a person, or take control of a willing subject."

Kasumi stood, and assumed a thoughtful pose, "That makes sense, but I can see that it bothers you, doesn't it?"

"The kind of control I can take from people goes against what I was brought up to believe," Ranma said, "but I get a little rush every time I do it."

Kasumi nodded, "I understand. Genma trained you to be submissive to him." When Ranma blanched she added, "Not sexually, just in general. He pushes you in the direction he wants to go, and uses you to achieve his own ends. But recently you have been standing up to him more and more; you realize that now, don't you." Ranma nodded and Kasumi continued, "The things I do are more of a give and take between equal partners, one may be dominant, but they both agree on their roles. The reason I am upset with this Kodachi that uses my name is that she takes that and twists it into something that is only about taking. A good Mistress always rewards her slave with the love they need."

She moved over to check Nabiki for wounds, and then pulled her younger sister into a warm embrace and a deep kiss. Ranma watched as Nabiki, the strongest willed girl she knew, and her sister, the gentlest person she knew, made out in front of her. Nabiki seemed to melt into Kasumi's arms as their bodies melded together, breasts pressing and hands roaming. Ranma was jealous for a moment, but then saw that Kasumi had once more demonstrated something, dominance with compassion.

There was that, and the sight of the two sisters making out was really turning her on.

Kasumi ended the kiss and lowered Nabiki back to the ground, "Do you see what I mean now?" Ranma nodded and Kasumi smiled, "Good, because that was the third lesson." She tossed the ribbon handle to Ranma, who caught it out of reflex, and retrieved a pair of clubs from the equipment scattered around the dojo, "Now, show me if you can be dominant, and try to subdue me again. This time, hold nothing back."

Ranma pushed off the wall, and stepped back into the practice area. She took a moment to collect herself and consider what Kasumi had shown her. She looked over to Nabiki, and considered the expectant look in her face, then came up with a plan that would test her limits with this new area.

"Nabiki," she called, hiding any unease in her voice, "Come here." The girl obeyed and stood before Ranma, who said, "My pants seem to be slowing me down in this match…Remove them." Nabiki flashed a brief smile, then her face became submissive and she lowered down to her knees and began to gently remove the garment. When she had finished, and stepped out of her pants, she looked down, again feeling the unusual sensation of looking down at a submissive Nabiki.

_I need to be careful, _she thought, _or I may get to like this too much._

Out loud she commanded, "The boxers as well." Nabiki began to tug down the undergarments, and was surprised at how damp they were, not with perspiration from the match, but arousal. Ranma stepped out of her last garment, and gestured with on finger for Nabiki to stand.

"Very good," Ranma cooed at Nabiki, and slid her fingertips from below Nabiki's breasts, between them, and all the way up to rest on her lips, where she moved forward and gave the panting girl a deep kiss. The moment lingered, and finally Ranma let Nabiki go, and nodded to her to sit to the side, out of the way.

Kasumi nodded to Ranma as her attention returned to her instructor, "Very good, Ranma. Commanding and rewarding are the very foundation of what I'm teaching you tonight."

"Just don't expect me to be the submissive type all the time," Nabiki added with her more customary smirk.

Ranma tried not to giggle and break the mood, and nodded lightly, "So what's lesson four?"

"The Razor Ribbon Strike," Kasumi said, and began to move.

Outside, the stars twinkled away the night, and eventually the sun began to rise in the east. Akane wandered downstairs in her pajamas, walking carefully on her injured foot, and began to head out to the dojo. Inside, she found Nabiki covered in a blanket, asleep against the wall, and a tired looking Kasumi in a robe, handing a box to an equally tired, and very nude, Ranma.

"This was the outfit I wore when I won the Championship. I think it's appropriate that I give it to you, my apprentice." Akane watched silently, surprise on her face as Ranma opened the box, and pulled out a beautiful red leotard, and quietly pulled it on. A black line ran up from between Ranma's legs, wrapped around her waist, and came up between her breasts and surrounded a circular cutout that showed Ranma's generous cleavage, and came to a black metal flower shaped clasp at the neck.

Ranma stepped back, and did a few movements to get a feel for the garment. It fit her like a second skin and her movements were in no way constricted, even when she bent backwards and managed to touch the floor while still standing. Akane beat down jealousy at the flexibility of the demon girl, and admitted that she wouldn't be able to do that.

Ranma stood again, bowing to Kasumi and said, "Thank you Mistress."

"What happened to Ryoga," Akane finally asked.

Ranma jumped slightly, but Kasumi answered calmly, "I told you, I did gymnastics when I was in school. Ranma already has the combat sense needed, so Ryoga could not help with that. I volunteered to instruct Ranma on the technique needed for the rest of this competition, and she agreed."

Akane asked, "So you've been at it all night?"

Ranma coughed, and spun away from Akane to hide her blush, and Kasumi answered again, "We only just finished training, though Nabiki seemed to drift off during the night sometime." She strode out of the room, "I'll go get breakfast ready, Ranma. You get an hour's rest, and then we'll see how you do at the competition." Ranma nodded and sat down next to Nabiki.

"Are you going to be all right for the match," she asked with worry.

Ranma looked up at her and gave a lopsided grin, "I'll have her begging by the second round…zzzzz." Ranma had closed her eyes and drifted off, leaning against a slumbering Nabiki.

Akane looked at the girl in confusion and wondered aloud, "What the hell is going on here?"

To be continued.


	13. Battle for the Black Rose Crown

Author's Note: Ranma's world was dreamed up by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I'm just going to borrow them for a while to tell another story. This isn't for money, just for fun. This story also contains adult themes, like sex and violence so be warned. Then again, if you like sex and violence, come on down.

P.S.: still and always for Janice.

"A substitute," asked Kodachi, looking oddly at the four girls in front of her. Akane Tendo had been injured during training, without the Kuno girl's help, surprisingly, and a sleepy looking redhead had stepped up to take her place. The redhead was flanked by two other girls, one with short hair and a hard stare that claimed to be her manager, and a tall, long haired girl, that said she was the trainer.

Kodachi gave the tall girl another look. There was something about her, something Kodachi could almost remember. She dismissed it as unimportant and concentrated on the task at hand.

She extended her hand, "I wish you the best of luck then."

Ranma was about to shake it when Nabiki's hand shot out and grabbed Kodachi's wrist, turning her hand palm up to reveal a set of tacks held between the fingers.

The girls frowned at Kodachi, and she laughed, "My, my, how did those get there?" She spun away and laughed her way down the hall, heading for her dressing room.

The Tendo's eyes were on her as she rounded the corner, and Ranma yawned loudly. They hustled the worn out girl into the Furinkan dressing room and went about getting ready for the match. As Ranma stripped, Akane found a bouquet of black roses waiting for her on the bench."

She was about to pick them up when a nude Ranma grabbed her hand and yawned out, "Poison."

Akane's hand jerked back and she asked, "Are you sure?"

"She, or rather he, got a face full of the stuff on the night Kodachi attacked you," Nabiki told her. The two of them sat away from the suspicious flowers as Kasumi helped Ranma into the tight leotard.

They were about to fasten the neck clasp when Genma-panda burst through the door caring a sign that said, 'Think about you manhood, Boy! I forbid this battle!' Thinking quickly, Nabiki slapped the poisoned bouquet which fell into Genma's hands. With a small pop, a cloud of dark gas drifted up into Genma's face, and the panda fell forwards onto the ground with a large thud as he began to snore loudly.

Ranma and the Tendo girls had all ducked away at the pop and now stood up to examine the sleeping Genma. Kasumi checked him and nodded that he was alright.

"Well," Ranma said, doing up the clasp, "It may have put him down. But the psycho managed to wake me up."

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 13

Battle for the Black Rose Crown

In the gymnasium a large crowd had gathered to see the competition between the Black Rose, and the mysterious redhead that had been showing up around the neighborhood lately. An upperclassman from Furinkan sat ringside, and a rumor that drifted through the crowd said that he was Kodachi Kuno's elder brother. Several of the girls from St. Backus' School for Girls fell for the dashing young man in kendo attire.

Hearing this, one of the Furinkan boys stated, "Ignorance really is bliss."

The collected crowds settled down as the announcer entered the ring and addressed the audience, "Ladies and gentlemen, this match is one fall to a finish. The first contestant to yield, land off the mat, or fail to answer a ten count will be defeated. Unarmed attacks are strictly forbidden. Beyond that, this match is no holds barred."

A loud cheer went up from the crowd and she continued, "From Furinkan High School, in the red leotard, here is…" She looked over at the redhead entering the ring and asked in a quieter voice, "What is your name anyway?"

"Ranma Saotome," Ranma answered flippantly.

"What's wrong with you," growled Akane from where she stood at ringside with her sisters, "Do you want everyone to know?"

Ranma smirked, "Not a problem. No one will believe for a second cute little me has any connection with the male Ranma."

She leaned back against the ring post as the announcer yelled out her name, and sure enough a flash of murmurs rose from the Furinkan contingent in the audience. Kuno could even be seen furiously writing in a notepad, a look of mad concentration on his face.

"Seems Ranma was right," Nabiki said, "even if the two halves look somewhat alike, no one could believe that this was Ranma unless they saw the change." She saw Kuno write Ranma's name again and again and continued, "Even then some people are too stupid to catch on."

Suddenly the lights lowered and the wedding march began to play over the gym's PA system. A spotlight moved up and focused on a form descending from the rafters. Soon, Kodachi could be made out sitting on a simple swing bar being lowered by cables, but that wasn't what drew attention. She landed on the mat and stood, showing off her black wedding dress as the announcer gave her name.

She grabbed the mic from the startled girl and stated to the audience, "This match is not about school pride today, but the freedom of my beloved prince, who has the unfortunate fate of sharing his name with this lowborn dog."

Nabiki suddenly called out from the side, "So if this isn't about a school competition, what are you putting on the line?"

"Why should I wager anything? Is it not enough that I lower myself to compete with you?"

"I've got two simple things I want," Ranma said softly, "For you to forget about the male Ranma, and that you stop pretending to be the Black Rose."

Kodachi looked at the smirking girl in shock, and a snarl appeared on her face, "I pretend nothing, I am the Black Rose. A peasant like you has no idea the meaning of the title."

"On the contrary," Ranma calmly said, "I was trained by the true Black Rose to take the title from you. Form what I've seen; you're the one who doesn't understand."

"Insolent dog," yelled Kodachi, and pulled at the sides of her dress. It ripped away, having been designed to do so, and underneath was an emerald leotard with a black rose stenciled onto it starting with the stem between her legs and ending with the blossom over her left breast.

"Pose and growl all you want," Nabiki said, "but if you don't put something on the line, there is no reason for this fight, and you forfeit for failing to ante up."

Kodachi growled at the four girls and then smiled and spoke, "I will do as you say, but only if this disgusting piece of filth had the unlikely fortune of making me submit."

Kasumi whispered into Ranma's ear, and Ranma nodded to the Kuno girl. The referee called the two contestants to the middle of the ring and asked them to shake hands. Ranma, wary of Kodachi's last attempt, offered her hand in a way that Kodachi had to expose her palm first, but the attack came from a different direction.

With her off hand, Kodachi slapped a manacle onto Ranma's wrist, locking a heavy chain onto the redhead's arm. Ranma jumped back and pulled the chain up to reveal P-Chan dangling from a manacle at the other end.

"Oh," Ranma groaned, "You just love to louse me up, don't you pig boy?" Ryoga squealed and thrashed as Ranma held him up in mid air, and Ranma saw that once more the piglet had a large bruise on his head. "Hay Akane, I think the Green Petunia has been beating up your pet."

Akane saw the piglet chained to Ranma and roared, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO P-CHAN YOU BITCH!" Nabiki and Kasumi restrained their little sister as she tried to enter the ring with mallet drawn.

Kodachi chuckled into the back of her hand, "I just meant for you to be slowed down by the little thing, but this is so much better. You won't be able to attack me without putting your friend's precious pet into jeopardy." She let out a long harsh laugh that caused a shiver in the entire gymnasium.

Ranma gave a pleading look at the ref and asked, "Just ring the damn bell and start this, please." She grabbed a club in each hand, holding the chain between them and prepared as Kodachi took up a rope and waited. The bell rang and Ranma launched her first attack, sending both pins flying at Kodachi, who simply knocked them away with her rope, emitting a loud crack with each deflection.

Ranma had already charged in and was preparing to attack with a ribbon, when Ryoga jumped out of her hands and spun around, tangling her legs. Kodachi brought her rope down on Ranma's head, and Ranma discovered the hard way that there was a steel rod hidden inside.

Ranma rolled away and pulled the pig up to her face, "What the hell are you doing?"

Ryoga had a little piggy smirk on his face, and Ranma sighed until she heard a voice insider her head, _"He figures that if you're out of the way, his secret will be safe. Get rid of him before there's trouble."_

"_Easy for you to say," _She responded to Nabiki, _"The jerk isn't chained to you."_

Ranma saw another attack coming out of the corner of her eye, and a club whizzed by her as Kodachi thrust to try and take Ranma's head off. Ranma was about to counter when spikes shot out of the club, nearly impaling her skull. As the club pulled away, Kodachi thumbed a switch on the handle, and the spikes snapped back inside the weapon.

"So that's the way you play," Ranma said.

Kodachi twirled the rod around and declared, "I do this so my darling Ranma and I may be together for all eternity!"

Jumping high into the air Ranma growled at the gymnast, "Like I would want to be with a nut like you!" At the apogee she whipped the pig weighted chain below her and used Ryoga as a weapon, impacting Kodachi in the stomach. Kodachi rolled away, grabbing a hoop from the edge of the ring and yelling, "I wasn't talking about you, harlot. I was talking about the heroic man of my dreams." Using the inside of the hoop, she twirled it around her wrist and let it fly at Ranma, aiming for her head.

Reacting quickly, the redhead jumped over the hoop as it continued on and sliced off the top of the ring post behind her. She was about to charge in when she spotted a ribbon strike following close behind the hoop. Executing a mid air splits, Ranma avoided the ribbons and landed to one side, but behind her the ribbon snagged the hoop's edge and began to pull it back to Kodachi like a boomerang.

Turning at the sound of the hoop whistling through the air, Ranma saw that it was once more on course for her neck. Bending backwards, Ranma dodged the hoop with her incredible flexibility, but that almost wasn't enough as she felt the hoop pass a hairs width away from her large breasts as they arched into the air. She continued the arch and turned it into a back flip as Kodachi spun the leashed hoop around her and sent it flying low.

Still in the middle of her flip, Ranma saw the hoop returning and pushed off the canvas with her arms, putting all her upper body strength into the shove. As she went up, she saw Ryoga clinging to the mat, using a surprising amount of piggy strength to arrest Ranma's momentum. The hoop passed between the two of them, and clashed against the chain tying them together. Ranma landed hard next to the snickering pig and lashed out one hand to grab him around the neck.

"Pull a stunt like that again and I may need to let lose some hellfire," she snarled, letting her eyes flash red for a moment. Ryoga stiffened at the memory of the demonic attack, realizing that he may have pushed the limit of Ranma's patience.

Ranma stood, drawing the chained pig into a guard position and glaring at her opponent who was retrieving a new pair of clubs with a smug look on her face. As she watched the gymnast for the next attack, the chain passed into her field of view for a moment, and she saw a nick in one of the chain lengths a few hand widths up from Ryoga. When the obviously augmented hoop had spent its lethal attack on the chain, it had left a cut halfway through one of the links. Ranma gave an evil smile and grasped the chain further up near the frightened looking piglet.

"I guess it's time to stop sandbagging," Ranma called to Kodachi and flexed her arms, letting demonic energy flow into her arms. The gymnast watched in amusement as her opponent tried to pull apart the chain, but her smile vanished as a loud snap was heard and the chain broke near its pork based weight on the end. For a moment she thought she saw an unnatural red glow from the redheaded girl's eyes, but it vanished as she looked up and gave a dark grin.

Ranma held the pig up and quietly spoke, "That was strike two, asshole. Try not to push me again." She tossed the pig over shoulder, letting the now terrified pig land in Akane's arms. With a flip, Ranma caught the chain and began to spin it in one hand as Kodachi ran in to attack.

Kodachi yelled out, "Blow of a Thousand Clubs!" Her attack came fast, and Ranma used the spinning chain as a shield to deflect the blows. Club after club flashed out, and for a moment, Ranma thought it was a variation on the Amazon Amaguriken technique. She countered with her own, using it to speed up the revolution of the chain until it appeared as a translucent disk and a high whistling sound could be heard over the clacks of deflected clubs.

Suddenly there was a loud bang, and Kodachi was knocked back away from Ranma as the redhead leaned heavy against the ropes behind her. Twenty or more clubs fell to the floor as Kodachi lost her focus and grip on her maneuver. Both girls were shaking their heads, trying to clear them as the bang echoed around the gymnasium.

"What the hell was that," Akane asked, reeling from the sound and pressure she felt in her stomach.

Nabiki had covered her ears looking on and answered loud enough to be heard, "I think Ranma's chain just broke the speed of sound."

Kasumi watched in amazement and asked, "How is that possible?"

"That punching technique he used against Ryoga," Akane realized, "she must have used it to block that club juggling trick Kodachi was using."

Back in the ring, Ranma and Kodachi were once again on their feet. Kodachi picked up a ribbon and whipped it out to one side. Ranma ignored it, as it appeared to be a distraction, but Kodachi tugged the ribbon inward, and it went taut. Seeing something swing towards her out of her peripheral vision, Ranma tucked into a ball and rolled low as the ring bell flew over her head, held by the end of the ribbon. Ranma continued to roll as the ribbon whipped out again and pulled a chair into the ring to attack the dodging demon girl. Reaching a corner of the ring, Ranma uncoiled and sprung to the top of the ring post.

"Two can play at this game," she yelled and let fly with her chain. The lose end wrapped around the announcer's table at ringside, and with a heave she flipped it up over her head and sent it hurtling toward Kodachi. The crazed girl lashed out franticly with her ribbon and pulled a surprised looking Tatewaki Kuno out of his seat to intercept the rouge furniture.

With a loud battle cry, Kuno brought out his wooden sword and sliced the table in half. His fall was not arrested however and he continued on with open arms towards Ranma.

"Leap into my arms, pigtailed girl," he called out, "and I shall rescue you from my sister's tender abuse." Ranma whipped her chain around and caught Kuno in the side of the head, sending him crashing into the bleachers outside the ring where he collapsed.

The Tendo sisters watched in awe as the fight picked up yet again, snapping ribbon meeting lashing chain as the two combatants danced around each other. Suddenly a reawakened, and human, Genma came barreling out of the back and started towards the ring, a kettle of boiling water in his hands.

"Fist my son attacks me with cowardly intent," he yelled out, "Then he prances around in clothes not suitable for a martial artist. Why does my son see fit to humiliate me so?"

"Probably because you're a rat bastard," Nabiki told him over her shoulder.

Kasumi frowned at her, "Such language is not appropriate for so public a place, sister. Even if you are correct." Genma growled at the girls and moved to enter the ring, but was blocked by the Tendos. Before he could move them, Kodachi's ribbon snatched the boiling kettle out of his hands.

"You are a cunning foe, but you wont be able to block this," she told Ranma then flicked the kettle out towards the redhead, sending her ribbon after it and yelling, "RAZOR RIBBON!" Directly over Ranma's head the kettle was split in two and steaming hot water fell onto the panicking girl.

Steam rose up and obscured that corner of the ring, and Ranma was glad it did as she felt her body shift. Unfortunately for him, he was still wearing a leotard sized for his girl side.

He managed to let out a squeak of pain as certain portions of his anatomy were squeezed tightly by the spandex outfit. The steam was beginning to clear rapidly, and Ranma tried to find a way out, but he was in the open and exposed, in more then one way as he felt the bottom of the outfit ride up between his hindquarters.

He was about to make a mad dash for anywhere else, preferably somewhere in Africa, when a spray of ice cold water hit him. Once more the outfit fit and she breathed a sigh of relief, until she started to lift off the mat.

She looked over to see Nabiki and Kasumi working the spray from a fire hose in her direction while Akane was jumping up and down on her father's head. The spray was quickly carrying her over the ring rope and out to disqualification, but Ranma refused to give up so easily. Moving with frenzied determination, she began to swim against the current that was pushing her to defeat. After a moment, the water cut off, and Ranma fell feet first to land just inside the ring. Hiding another sigh of relief, she stood and impishly tossed her wet pigtail off her shoulder, striking a pose of utmost confidence.

"I suppose that's the best you can do," She asked with a smirk.

"You bitch," screamed Kodachi, losing some of her refinement. She took a moment to calm and continued, "Why don't you give up? Why are you so determined to steal my name and my Ranma?"

Ranma's smirk dropped to a snarl and she answered, "Neither the name or Ranma belong to you. The Black Rose wasn't a stuck up fruit loop like you, and she never gave her title up. As for Ranma, He's his own person, not someone's property. And he would rather die then be used anymore!" That last declaration was made with such conviction that it reverberated in the bones of the people that knew the real Ranma, but Kodachi ignored it, hearing only what she felt was a slight against her.

"No more talk," Kodachi yelled, "Now you simply die." She flipped a club into her hands and leaped to the attack, charging madly at Ranma. Halfway to her target Kodachi thumbed a hidden switch on the club and a three inch spike popped out the top forming a nasty stiletto as she aimed for the redhead's neck.

Ranma flipped forward onto her hands and grabbed the lethal club with her feet, using her leverage and Kodachi's momentum the pitch the girl forward and up. She was originally going to toss the girl over the ropes and disqualify her, but remembered that only a submission would win her freedom, and the Black Rose title.

Continuing the throw, she altered the trajectory so that the gymnast girl would land on her face inside the ring. Letting go, Ranma continued her flip to land where Kodachi had started and picked up the ribbon she had discarded. Using her chain in her right hand, she whipped out and snagged Kodachi's legs, binding them tight. The ribbon in her left hand pulled back and snapped out, landing a sharp crack on the bound girl's athletic backside. Four more rapid snaps landed near the first, and Ranma was sure she had the girl's attention.

Kodachi rolled over and threw her stiletto at Ranma, who simply bobbed out of the way and laced out with the ribbon again, slapping Kodachi across her breasts. Yelping, Kodachi rolled back over to cover herself, but this left her bottom once more exposed to Ranma's attack. With deft strokes, Ranma struck again across the gymnasts behind, causing the girl to yelp in surprise at the sting.

This continued for some time. Kodachi would roll to avoid or respond to an attack, and Ranma would strike at her unprotected side. What the audience didn't see was that each hit was precisely placed not to cause damage, but to torment the trapped gymnast.

Kodachi rolled once more on to her back, her arms moving to try and block the incoming strike, but it was too late, and the ribbon snapped just shy of her enlarged nipples. The pressure from the strike sent an aching shiver down her spine as she felt them compress slightly and the sting from the ribbon washed through her. She had to bite her lip to keep from moaning out as she rolled again to her front and felt the ribbon smack against her sore ass cheeks.

_This girl is more then I thought,_ Kodachi realized, _perhaps the Queen did train her!_

Kodachi tried to fight down her growing arousal as another attack struck her behind and tried to lever herself up so she could free her legs. As she reached down and tried to find the end of the chain around her legs, she left her backside open and sticking into the air.

Ranma, fighting her own embarrassment and arousal saw an opening for the final attack Kasumi had taught her. Flicking her wrist up and down in a rapid motion and using a twist she was shown during the night, she let her ribbon once more snake out at Kodachi.

The bound girl felt the initial contact, a surprisingly slow flick along the backside, and then the flicks increased in speed as they traveled down along the curvature of her ass. Then the flicks drifted inward and she realized her mistake.

Her bottom in the air, she had exposed her spandex covered privates to the suddenly aggressive redhead. Quick snaps, each one light and deliberate, could be felt along the outline of her nether lips sending one jolt after another into her core. Suddenly the speed increased again, and it felt as if two strikes occurred at once, probing her moistening mound. Again she bit her lip, this time to keep from screaming in pleasure as she was delightfully driven closer to the edge of madness.

Then she heard a soft voice behind her, low enough that only she could hear, "Something else isn't it? The Black Rose Queen taught me this just last night, and I couldn't hold out for very long against it." The tempo shifted again, and the snaps seemed to blur together and it felt like a thousand fingers were massaging her swollen sex.

"The audience just thinks my ribbon is caught on the chain, keeping you from getting away, but you can feel differently, can't you," Ranma continued. "I can give you what you want; I can finish it here and now, giving you the release that you need so badly. All you have to do is give up. Give up on Ranma, and admit that you are not the Black Rose, and I'll send you to the bliss that is clawing at your soul."

Inside her head, Ranma was blushing like crazy and thinking, _oh god, I can't believe I let Kasumi and Nabiki talk me into talking like that. If this doesn't work, I'm going to die right here. I may die even if this does work…_

Meanwhile, Kodachi was struggling to resist the sensations washing through her. She tried with all her might to pull away, but with her legs bound and strength fading in her arms, she knew that time was running out. With a desperate push, she managed to roll once more onto her back and look her attacker in the face.

The water had made Ranma's leotard stick to her body even more, emphasizing every curve. The redhead's nipples stood out against the fabric, enlarged by arousal and the cold water. At the juncture of her legs the water had made the fabric tight against the girl's mound, and Kodachi could make out every line that defined the attacking girl's sex. Ranma's long legs were dripping with water, and as she reeled back for another whipping ribbon strike, Kodachi was entranced by the almost sensual movement of her hips.

Finally she looked up, only to see cold, almost glowing, blue eyes, and a smirk of absolute confidence.

The eyes had a look she had only seen once before, almost two years ago when she attended her first competition as the newest member of her schools team. It was on the face of the Furinkan captain. It was obvious that the other girls on her team looked up to her with great respect, but according to one of Kodachi's seniors on the team, there was more then that. The Furinkan captain was called the Black Rose Queen, and was feared and respected by other teams in the division for her unbeatable agility, flexibility, and grace.

She was considered to be the pinnacle of the sport.

After that match, Kodachi had snuck into the Furinkan locker room to see if she could learn more about this person, and that was when she had seen the Black Rose, apparently exhilarated be the match, push one of her teammates down on the bench and straddle the girls face, moaning out. Instead of doing something about this taboo, the other members of the team simply knelt around her, supporting their captain as she rode out orgasm after orgasm atop her teammate.

After it was all over, she watched as the girl bowed to the Black Rose and said, "Thank you, Mistress."

"You are welcome, my wonderful servant."

Kodachi had been aroused by the entire sight, and after the girls had left, she exited her hiding spot and kneeled where the event had occurred, and slid her hand between her legs. Sliding her fingers across the thin spandex of her uniform she rapidly brought herself to climax, and when the pleasure washed over her she made a silent vow. She vowed to become as powerful, as skilled, and as confidant, as the girl, no, the woman she had just seen there.

The memory flashed through Kodachi's mind at the look on Ranma's face, and she realized that she was indeed facing a true disciple of the Black Rose Queen. She herself had taken the name in her quest to chase the ideal that she saw that day, but now she knew it would never be enough.

A sudden snap across her aching breasts drew her back to reality, and she let her arms fall to her sides. The redhead had her, and had proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was dominant in the ring. Only one path remained to her.

"I Yield!!!" Ranma slacked her chain, letting the girls legs loose as the referee announced the winner.

Kodachi's leg spread as soon as she was free and the gymnast whispered, "Please, finish it…"

"And your promise," Ranma asked. The gymnast refused to answer, her hips slowly bucking in need, but her face adamant. Ranma flicked her ribbon again and it struck between Kodachi's legs, sending another jolt through her, but still not enough to achieve release. Kodachi was sure the redhead was telling the truth now; she was trained by the real Black Rose Queen.

Kodachi gave a tortured look and finally shouted, "I renounce the name Black Rose!"

Ranma waited, and when Kodachi didn't continue she drawled out "And…"

That look was burned into Kodachi's mind, and with a whimper she added, "I give up my claim on the man, Ranma Saotome!" With a snap Ranma flicked Kodachi again, this time near the front of her outlined slit, and with an expert strike, slapped the clitoris. All the built up lust and pleasure that Kodachi had been experiencing up to this point came out in a burst as her vision went white and her body shivered.

The last thing she saw as her head rolled to one side and she began to pass out was Ranma's trainer, the tall Tendo girl. The smirk on her face was one that flooded her mind. Then she knew.

"Kasumi Tendo…"

Ranma rolled out of the ring as the Kuno girl went out like a light, and avoiding the congratulations of the Furinkan students, she moved quickly to the locker rooms. Once inside, she ran into a shower stall, closed her eyes, and let cold water spray over her in an attempt to cool her now raging libido.

The water began to seep through her already wet leotard as she leaned against the wall panting. The cold made her shiver, but it only added to the shivers of desire coursing through her body as she fought down the lust and embarrassment from what she had done.

Suddenly there was warmth along her front and she opened her eyes to see a naked Nabiki leaning into her and reaching to turn off the water. Ranma tried to pull away from the girl's embrace, but Nabiki held fast and hugged her tight.

"_I felt the fire in you,"_ Nabiki spoke into Ranma's mind.

The redhead shivered and whispered, "It took everything I had after she quit. I used everything I had to resist taking her right there. I wanted to grab her and…and…"

"I guess it was too much for you," Nabiki said.

Ranma shook her head, "That's, not it. I wanted to…use, and drain her. To stop playing dominant and actually make her mine. I think the demon inside wants to control. To make others into slaves. And it goes against everything I fought for."

"Do you think you can control it?"

Ranma leaned into Nabiki and whispered, "I don't know." She began to lick Nabiki's neck, her hands reaching around to grasp the taller girl's bottom. She turned them and pushed Nabiki up against the wall, kissing the girl deeply as she moved her hands to cup her partner's heavy breasts. Nabiki was more then willing to continue, as the match had aroused her as well.

She quickly reached up and undid the black rose clasp on Ranma's neck and began to peel the redhead out of the soggy spandex. She pulled the garment down past Ranma's perky chest, exposing her already hard nipples and immediately ducked her head down to draw the swollen nub into her mouth.

It only started there, and soon Nabiki's teasing hands and mouth were working the redhead into a frenzy. And suddenly, like a switch, Ranma asserted herself.

Already against the wall, Nabiki was unable to escape a ravenous demon girl that seemed desperate for any and all contact. With all inhibition and restraint throw by the wayside, Ranma turned Nabiki's teasing around and began driving the psychic girl straight into wave after wave of pleasure.

Hands, tongue, and soon even wingtips grazed across wet, naked skin. Soon aside from the electric sensations coming from her core Nabiki could feel the euphoric pull on her very life energies. Ranma's feeding was wild, and with every tug at her being Nabiki rode a new wave of pleasure.

Soon only Ranma's strength was keeping her upright as glowing blue eyes met deep brown as lust after lust passed between the lovers.

A gasp, a scream, and then the warmth of completion.

When she finally regained her senses, Nabiki looked up to see Ranma's eyes had returned to their normal, but still giving off a post-coitus glow, blue. With a heavy arm she reached up and found Ranma's cheek, stroking it once before letting her hand settle on the demon girl's bare shoulder.

"Don't get you too worked up. I get that now," she joked.

Ranma snorted lightly, holding back a laugh, and leaned in to give the exhausted girl a hug, wrapping her wings around both of them. Slowly she took Nabiki in her arms and lifted the girl up easily.

Nabiki snuggled into the smaller girl and asked, "How come you have so much energy?"

"Sorry," said Ranma, "I had a little snack on you. I couldn't help it; you were putting out so much energy it kinda just soaked in." She used one foot to flip her discarded leotard onto one shoulder where it gave a wet slap, "No pun intended."

Cradling Nabiki in her arms and using her wings to warm the spent girl, Ranma turned to exit the showers. As the opening to the locker room area came into view, Ranma almost stumbled. Quickly balancing herself, she stood frozen, a panicked look crossing her face.

"What is it," Nabiki asked as she saw Ranma stiffen.

"I am so dead," the redhead mumbled, and moved her wings, sweeping them wide and allowing Nabiki to see in front of them.

Lying on the ground was Akane, passed out and with blood dripping from her noise.

Ranma and Nabiki gulped loudly as they both said, "Oh, crap."

To be continued.


	14. RinkaDinks

Author's Note: Ranma's world was dreamed up by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I'm just going to borrow them for a while to tell another story. This isn't for money, just for fun. This story also contains adult themes, like sex and violence so be warned. Then again, if you like sex and violence, come on down.

P.S.: still and always for Janice.

The three of them sat in the corner of the small ramen shop, Nabiki and a male Ranma on one side, and a very pissed off looking Akane on the other. Ranma and Akane were blushing as Nabiki calmly sat back and waited for her sister to stop lecturing them in a whisper.

"I can't believe you let your guard down with this monster," Akane ranted, "How could you let yourself be…I don't know what that was, but I should be telling Father so he'll throw this creep out, not sitting here eating noodles."

Nabiki sighed, "Are you quite done? Yes? Good. Now shut the hell up and listen to me before I lose my temper." She collected herself and continued, "First off, what you saw was none of your damn business, and if you tell Daddy, you can forget about the college money I've managed to stash away when you weren't blowing it on cinder blocks, or doctor bills for the boys you beat up. I've been covering your ass for two years now, and I'm just about done."

Ranma tried to blend into the chair, disappear, vanish, or anything else to get away from the two hostile girls. Akane had spent the last hour telling them how evil it was to do what they did. That it was wrong for two girls to be that close, and Ranma was being a perverted, disgusting molester for forcing Nabiki to commit such acts. Nabiki had countered every point, shot down every argument and summed up her stance with one simple statement.

"Hey, has it ever occurred to you that I'm a pervert too? I like the wild lesbian sex, after all."

Akane was rocked back by this and stammered out, "Don't be ridiculous, Nabiki. That can't be true."

"Have you ever actually listened to your friends at lunch," Nabiki asked, "They are two of the biggest, boy hungry pervs in the school. As for Dad, remember, he's already ok with me and Ranma, have you considered that? As a matter of fact, the only one who's being a jerk about this is you."

Akane whispered, "Liar," and stood, leaving the café. Nabiki sighed and lowered her forehead to the table, resting it lightly and rolling it from side to side.

"That went better then I thought," Ranma quipped, and Nabiki rolled her head enough to glare at the boy for a second, and then laughed lightly when she realized that he was right.

"I'm sorry," she said, sitting up and leaning heavily on him, "Akane has always been the little pure princess, and it's getting old. She never thinks about what she's doing, or who she hurts, just as long as she's always right." She placed her head on his shoulder and continued, "Just once, I'd like her to grow up and accept some responsibility, is that too much to ask?"

Ranma shook his head and put an arm around her, "She's always had Kasumi and you to look out for her, and I get the feeling your dad lets a lot slip by. Actually, I'm a little jealous of her, she had people to help her when she messed up, all I had was the old fart."

"You turned out ok."

Ranma chuckled, "Only because I'm as big a pain in the ass as he is. When I was ten or so there was this kid I hung out with…"

As Ranma was about to continue, two boys from his class that he had gotten to know during the lunches he couldn't spend with Nabiki plopped down in the seat across from them.

"Um, guys," Ranma frowned, "Private booth here. Do you mind?"

Hiroshi said, "Actually we do. You have Nabiki there, so where are you hiding her?"

At Ranma's blank look Daisuke added, "You know, the hot redhead that has your name." He tossed a few pictures of the girl Ranma in her leotard from the gymnastics match on the table. "You already have a girlfriend, and now this one won't even give a guy the time of day."

"Oh, god," Ranma mumbled and let go of Nabiki so he could lightly bang his head on the table.

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 14

Rink-a-Dinks

Hiroshi and Daisuke blinked at Nabiki as she began laughing at Ranma's antics. This time it was his turn to glare as she took the pictures in hand and examined them.

"She does have a nice ass," she commented, holding up a picture of Ranma in mid leap, her legs forward to avoid an attack, "And she has those long legs and large tits that tend to draw guys in. Throw in the mystery surrounding her, and I can see why you two are interested."

Ranma grumbled from the tabletop, "She's not available."

"Oh, come on," Hiroshi whined, "are you gonna tell us that she's your mistress or something?" Ranma began coughing and choking and Nabiki had to reach over and whack him on the back.

"What he meant to say was, the redhead is already being chased by Kuno, and she wants nothing to do with men to begin with. She is his sister so he looks out for her."

"Sister," the two boys asked.

Ranma caught on and added, "Yup, grew up and trained together. She's almost as good as I am at fighting, so I usually let her handle her own problems. But a big brother has to look out, you know."

Daisuke nodded and said, "I understand that, but that doesn't explain why she wants nothing to do with men. I know Kuno is a dickhead, but isn't that a little much?"

Ranma was drawing a blank, and Nabiki knew it, so she quickly answered, "She is going through a rough bit right now, ok? Mister Saotome treats her like crap, and her lifestyle doesn't help."

Ranma nodded, "The old man sees her as useless, when she has been through hell and back. She just wants to be left alone."

"What is she, a dyke," grumbled Hiroshi, and immediately felt Ranma's hand around his neck.

Slowly Ranma growled out, "You got a problem with that, dip shit?"

"I'm sorry," he managed to choke out, "I didn't know. It was a joke, a joke."

Ranma let the boy go, and noticed that Daisuke was giving his partner an 'I don't believe you're so stupid' look. He let it go at that, but decided he was no longer comfortable in the small café.

"Let go," he said to Nabiki and they stood to leave.

Hiroshi quietly said, "I really am sorry. I'll try not to be such a jerk, ok?"

Ranma nodded and turned to follow Nabiki as she headed to the door. She was about to walk out, when another young man walked in and bumped into her, causing her to lose her balance. Quickly the boy grabbed her and prevented her from falling.

"I'm sorry," he said, and steadied Nabiki, "Forgive my clumsiness. By way of apology allow me to…" He lowered his face down to Nabiki and moved to kiss her. All the hair on the back of her neck stood on end as the boy leaned in, and because he still held her, her arms were not free to slap him away. Thankfully, she didn't need her arms.

With a mental shove against the boy, she broke his grip and stumbled back into Ranma, who wore an expression of rage. Slowly he moved Nabiki to one side and stood before the taller boy.

"And just who the hell do you think you are," he asked in a deathly quiet voice.

The young man nonchalantly tossed his hair and answered with an arrogant smile, "Mikado Sanzenin, and the young lady and I were sharing a moment here. Who are you to interrupt us?"

"I'm the young lady's fiancé," Ranma answered, "And I can't say that she liked your idea of a moment much."

Nabiki moved to stand next to Ranma and spoke up, "I think I can handle this, Ranma." He was about to object, when he saw the look in her eyes. He smiled and made way for her. "You think you're man enough for someone of my tastes," Nabiki asked.

"Obviously," Sanzenin answered, "I am a great improvement over this idiot."

Ranma was about to deck the boy when Nabiki held up her hand to stop him. She turned her head so only Ranma saw her, and gave an evil smile that assured Ranma she knew what she was doing.

"I hate to tell you this," she said as she turned back around, "but you just don't measure up. After all, what real man has to force a girl to kiss him? You're just a pathetic little boy in my book." She gave him a smug look as he stammered for a moment, and she and Ranma moved to leave.

Once more however, the door was blocked, this time by a shorter girl in an elaborate cloak giggling in what sounded like French. They were about to walk around her, when Ranma saw a panicked black piglet stuck in her arms.

Quickly he plucked the struggling Ryoga from the girl's arms and held him up, "What happened to you, P-Chan?"

"Ryoga," Nabiki asked, and was about to question the piglet herself, but she noticed the bubbly girl move behind Ranma, holding a chair above her head. Her eyes snapped wide, and she had just enough time to mentally shove the chair out of the girl's grip before she brought it down on Ranma's head. He heard the furniture clatter to the ground and whipped around into a defensive stance, guarding the pig.

"Give me back Charlotte," the girl whined, and grabbed another chair, smashing it against Ranma's arm as he blocked the attack.

"Damn, let me explain," Ranma tried, but was forced back as the girl tried to smash him with yet another chair. He tossed the struggling pig to Nabiki and yelled, "Get Ryoga out of here! Even Akane is safer then this psycho."

He was about to block another shot, when Sanzenin grabbed the chair out of the girl's hands and yelled, "Azusa, calm down."

"No! Give me back widdle Charlotte!" The girl flew into another tantrum and tried to grab a table, at which point the owner of the small shop came out wielding a large knife.

"All right you little brats," the large man called, "Get the hell out or I'm gonna get pissed!" With a flick of the wrist, the knife sailed through the air and imbedded itself into the door frame.

"This is us," Ranma and Nabiki chorused, "leaving!" They bolted for the door, and Mikado was about to follow when Azusa caught him

"Get Charlotte back NOW!" She promptly threw him out the door and was about to follow, when she spotted the knife in the doorframe. In an instant, she had pulled it out, tied a ribbon around the handle and declared, "Roberto, I've been looking all over for you!"

A very pissed off cook decided it was time to reach for his second favorite weapon for dealing with troublemaking teens, a phone with the ward police on speed dial.

Outside, Nabiki and Ranma had gotten to the corner of the street, and stopped to catch their breath. Once the crazed girl was out of sight, Ryoga had calmed down somewhat and sat quietly in Nabiki's arms as the two teens shook their heads at the nuts they had escaped.

Ranma groused, "Why do all the nuts seem to find…" There was a large splash as the Third Annual Street Cleaners Appreciation Parade passed, sending a spray of curbside water to drench the three. "…me."

Ryoga, already being in his curse form, simply gave a piggy chuckle at the misfortune of his rival. Behind them, Sanzenin came skidding face first out of the ramen shop. He immediately hopped up, and smoothed out his clothes in an attempt to return to his 'cool as can be' mindset, and turned to the two girls.

Jogging up to them he smiled, "Wait, miss. I want to apologize for my partner's actions in there." He saw the redhead standing next to Nabiki and decided to try his charm once again, "Your friend was forced to witness a rather unpleasant side of Azusa Shiratori. I wanted to extend my feelings to her as well as the young man who helped her, but that's beside the point. Allow me to introduce myself."

"I know who you are," Ranma growled.

Mikado smiled, "Oh, you must have admired me from afar then, because I've never seen you before. And I'm sure to remember one as attractive as you." He took her chin in hand and tilted her head up to meet his lips, but before they kissed he felt a sharp, hard slap across his face. He opened his eyes to see the redhead had struck, and wore a look of utter contempt on her face.

"Back off, creep," snarled Ranma, "lay one finger on me again, and you'll be singing soprano for the rest of your life. Same goes for my friend. As for your partner, this belongs to a friend. I'm just returning it."

"NO!"

The group turned to see Azusa had joined them, sans knife, and was glaring angrily at the redhead, "Give back Charlotte now!"

Ryoga jumped out of Nabiki's arms and scampered up to her shoulder, trying to hide and growl at the insane girl at the same time. From his surface thoughts Nabiki picked out that this Shiratori girl had picked him up off the street, and in the course of an hour had also stolen three loaves of bread, a stuffed duck, and some child's lollypop and had given them all names as if they were pets.

_Ranma may have a point about wackos_, she thought.

Out loud she said, "First you try and molest me, then your klepto girlfriend snatches my sister's pet pig. You are about one word away from jail time, buddy."

"Or a trip to the hospital," added an irate Ranma.

"If it's a fight the mean girl wants," Azusa haughtily stated, "Then she can have one. We challenge her and whoever she wants as a partner to a match this Saturday."

"Why wait when I can whoop this twerp right now with one arm behind my back," Ranma scoffed, dropping into an attack stance.

Azusa looked shocked, "How awful. Not something so barbaric, a Martial Arts Figure Skating contest. We let grace and skill on the ice determine the owner of Charlotte. Unless you're afraid."

Ranma scoffed, "If it's got Martial Arts in it, I can do anything. You're on."

The two skaters turned and walked away, expressions of superiority on their faces. Ryoga actually looked grateful, and Ranma shot him a warning look, "I'm not doing this for you. Guys like that just give the rest of us a bad name." P-Chan nodded his understanding, and then they both noticed the exasperated look Nabiki was giving them.

"What?"

Nabiki sighed, "I guess you wouldn't know, but those two are a little famous around here in the sports circles. Shiratori and Sanzenin are known as the Golden Pair, and they are on the way to joining the Japan Olympic team for pairs figure skating. The only problem is that they have a reputation almost as bad as Kodachi Kuno."

They started back to the dojo, and Nabiki continued talking, "Not to sound doubtful of my favorite demon or anything, but have you skated before?"

Ranma hesitated and replied, "How hard can it be? It's just sliding along, right? If that pushy freak can do it, so can I. I just need to find a partner for this fight and who can fight the little klepto girl and we'll be all set." They turned in to the dojo and Ryoga hopped away, either to find some hot water or Akane, Ranma didn't care which at this point.

Nabiki said, "Tomorrow, we are going down to the rink and see if you can put your money where your mouth is." She sighed as the two girls went into the house and added, "I don't think you can find anyone who can skate and fight on their level, so what are you going to do?"

Ranma shrugged, "I could always teach you how to fight."

"Are you kidding," Nabiki asked, "Those two nuts are expecting you to pair with a guy, and you already told them that your boy half was my fiancé."

"Oh," Ranma groaned, "I hadn't thought of that. Maybe a red wig…"

"Not gonna happen, lover mine," Nabiki stated flatly, "But if you really don't care about it, we could try as a pair of girls."

At that moment, Genma ran into the hall, slamming his sometimes son into the wall, "What is this?! First Akane tells us you were turning truly demonic, now you are running around hiding behind that horrid curse?"

"Let go," Ranma commanded in a low tone, her eyes blazing as Genma released her, stumbling back.

Nabiki could tell that Ranma's frustration led her to use her dominating abilities, and Genma was truly a worthy target, but she had her own fish to fry. Storming past the Saotomes she entered the living room to find her father wearing a stern look, and Akane sitting with him. She looked around for Kasumi, but the elder girl was nowhere to be seen. Letting her mind seek out her sister, she found that Kasumi was in the kitchen, and very frustrated. By the feel of her sister's thoughts, she knew that Kasumi and her father were just in an argument.

"Nabiki," her father began, "I think…"

She quickly interrupted, "Whatever you have to say, save it. I'm sure Akane has fed you some line about Ranma and I having sex after the gymnastics match today." Soun nodded, and Nabiki continued, "Well aren't you happy? The fiancé you dumped on us and I are getting along great, and your precious schools will be united. Anything else isn't really your concern is it?"

"That's not the point," Akane shouted, "He's a perverted jerk who's trying to use you. He's a monster that…"

A hard slap across the face silenced Akane, and Nabiki gave her sister a cold glare, "I warned you about this, little sister. You just pushed me too far, and there will be consequences."

"What is this then, Nabiki," her father calmly asked.

She turned and answered, "Since you stopped teaching, I've been pulling in money to keep us out of the red. I even managed to put some away for collage for the three of us, despite having to keep Akane out of jail."

"THAT'S A…"

Another hard slap rocked Akane back, and Nabiki continued, "She has been beating the hell out of people for years now at school. Kuno hasn't helped, and you know about that, but she still attacks anyone who she even thinks is crossing her. Paying off people to compensate and keep quiet is the only reason the police haven't come here. This house doesn't need that kind of dishonor."

Before Akane could react, her father turned a stern look on her, "Is this true, Akane? Have you been using the Art to harm people?"

Akane shook her head, "No, Daddy. I only beat up people that deserve it."

"We do not 'beat up people'," Soun stated. He turned to Nabiki and asked, "Do you have proof of this?"

Nabiki nodded and quickly went upstairs to retrieve one of her journals. Returning to the living room, she placed it in front of her father. As she sat at the table, she saw that Ranma had entered and was leaning against the wall, the redhead's own father nowhere in sight.

"_What happened," _she sent to her sometime girlfriend.

Ranma answered, _"He tried to use one of those damn prayer strips on me again. I think we can only deal with one problem at a time, so I 'ordered' him to sleep and dumped him in the dojo for now. I can handle him later, right now you need support."_

"_Thanks,"_ she replied and watched her father read as Akane sat and fumed.

Soun read the notebook, which had page after page of medical bills, half filled police complaints, and receipts taped to each page. Several times Akane had tried to stand, or tell her father it was all a lie. But each time, a stern look and a low cough from her father quieted her. Kasumi had returned to the table, and when asked, she confirmed Nabiki's story. Akane had never before seen the look of disappointment that her father gave her now.

"I see that I have failed. As a father and a teacher, I have failed," Mister Tendo told the assembled teens. "The first principle of the Anything Goes style is to protect those who can not protect themselves."

"But he attacks people all the time," Akane said, pointing at the redhead leaning against the wall, "And he was attacking Nabiki…"

With a slam, Soun dropped the book on the table and silenced his daughter, "No, you are wrong. Ranma has only fought those who have challenged either himself or those who could not stand up themselves. As for Ranma and Nabiki, I will not discuss that with anyone but them."

Ranma spoke up quietly, "Thank you, sir. We appreciate that."

Soun nodded at the boy turned girl and went back to speaking calmly to his daughter, "Akane, this is not about these two, it is about you and I. Nabiki has reminded me that I have an obligation to this house." He turned back to his other daughters, "I am sorry, but after your mother passed on, I couldn't find the strength in me to teach anyone. Perhaps it was an error, but I was deeply affected. I placed a large burden on you, Kasumi and Nabiki, to keep our home intact. I do not know if I am ready to resume my proper duties, but I will try and contribute more then I have. And I apologize to the two of you, please be patient with an old fool."

Nabiki nodded and Kasumi gave the Tendo patriarch a small smile and answered for them both, "We are strong, Father. All we ask right now is that you try."

Soun sighed in relief, and looked to Ranma, "You and I will speak later on other matters, Son." Ranma gulped, but nodded as well. Finally he turned back to Akane, who had gone from anger to sadness at the soft tone of her Father's voice, and the mention of her departed mother.

"Akane," he started, "I can see you are also strong, and willing to face any challenge. Long ago, even before I met Genma, I was a lot like you. I had little control over my anger and lashed out at those around me. Had it not been for patient friends, I never would have learned to control my anger, not let it control me. One of those friends was very good at helping me, and eventually became someone who helps many people. Tomorrow we are going to see him, and see if he can help you."

"What does he do," asked Akane, guessing an answer she didn't like.

Soun responded, "He is a psychologist. And before you judge him, daughter, let me tell you this, he was also the one to introduce your mother to me, and so you should be very respectful to him."

Akane quietly nodded, torn between anger over her own family telling her she needed to see a shrink, and a kind of vulnerability as her father had admitted to a weakness that she was told she shared with him.

As the Tendo's continued to talk, Soun's deep voice a calming influence on the girls, Ranma slipped out and drifted to the dojo for a heart to heart with her own father. She doubted it would be as quiet as the Tendo's had become during their talk.

Entering the dojo silently, she spotted the old man still asleep on the floor. Quickly she riffled through his shirt and removed a dozen prayer strips, careful not to touch them directly. She placed them into a small pile in one corner of the dojo, and sat down between them and her father.

Before she released Genma from her hypnotically induced slumber, she allowed her wings to sprout from her back and spread to their full width, and her eyes began to glow a soft red in the twilight.

She took a deep breath and commanded, "Wake up."

Groggily, Genma awoke. Sitting up and taking in his surroundings, his gaze fell on his son turned demon in full demonic form. He waged a brief internal battle between fear and anger. Fear due to his son's ability to absolutely decimate him in this form, as proven many times since they had been transformed in China. His anger however was that his ungrateful son was slipping further out of his control. Judging by the posture the demon girl was currently using, and the fact that with a quick search he noted the few wards he had left were on the other side of the room, Genma was about to have his hold lessened further.

He was about to leap at Ranma, planning on putting her down quickly and reasserting dominance, but stopped as flames began to lick up and down her arms, and the glowing red in her eyes tripled in intensity. Then Ranma spoke, and her voice had the cold intensity of Death's hand reaching for his throat.

"I think its time we settled a few things, old man," Ranma began. She let power flow through her and Genma felt an oppressive wave push him back into a sitting position. "I'm tired of the crap you put me through. For ten years, you've beaten me, harassed me, and belittled me, all in the name of turning me into some kind of super martial artist. Twice in the last month I've come close to being truly happy, and each time you start again. In China, it was honor that made me leave my wife, and here you are constantly trying to bring me down around Nabiki, who I have another connection with. You say it's because my curse makes me a weak little girl, but we both know that's wrong."

She took a deep breath and continued, "I learned something over the past couple of days. You've always been the one in control, of my life, my honor, everything. You used word and actions to demonstrate that you were stronger, better, than I was at every opportunity. That changed in China, didn't it?"

Genma gulped at the fire in Ranma's eyes. He had heard Ranma's declaration of freedom at the gymnastics match, and the power the demon girl displayed now made him worry even more. For the most part, his plan was intact, but Ranma was quickly coming to a point where he would be uncontrollable.

"Son," Genma began, "I don't know what you believe, but all I have done is for your sake. Your training has made you strong, and having a proper Japanese wife will allow you to focus on growing as a martial artist. But you are endangering that now, by letting the corruption of your cursed form to overwhelm you. How do you expect to be a great warrior if you are a weak little girl?"

"Do I really seem weak," Ranma asked, letting even more power out until the entire dojo was cast in red light. "The Amazons were not weak, after all Cologne handed you your ass quite nicely. Nabiki isn't weak, she has already put you in your place once, and she can outsmart you every time. I think you are actually just afraid. You're afraid that I'm stronger then you and I don't have to obey you any more."

Genma thought fast, and played a gamble, "Perhaps you are strong, but only because you use the powers of a demon. When was the last time you fought as a man? Can you even still do so? If you really want to prove that you are not corrupt, as I know the demon is, then face me as a man."

Ranma was actually surprised at this. She knew her father was a lying, scheming thief, but this almost made some kind of sense. She figured that Genma figured that Ranma was stronger then him in succubus form, and his male half was weaker. But Ranma was confident that with all the training she had undergone away from her father, then as a man or a female demon, she could kick his ass.

"I have another challenge in one week," she calmly said and a smirk grew on Genma's face as he guessed that Ranma was not going to fight him. Before he could gloat, Ranma continued, "Two days after that I will face you. A man to man fight, as you requested. What are the stakes?"

Genma hid his surprise and looked down on the expressionless girl, "Stakes? What do you mean, boy?"

"I am learning," she smirked, "I won't fight for no reason, just like Mister Tendo is trying to teach Akane. And I won't fight for no gain, just as Nabiki taught me. I'm willing to put up or shut up, how about you?"

Genma grunted noncommittally while he considered this new twist. Ranma was getting smarter, and that wasn't good for him. He had to think of something that would make the boy back down and admit he wasn't ready to take on a real master of the art. At the same time, he had to think of something to offer up that would be worthless to him, but seem priceless to Ranma.

Finally he spoke, an evil glint in his eye, "When I win, you will immediately marry Nabiki, renounce that Amazon floozy you picked up, and never again use your cursed form for sexual activities. If by some miracle you win I will acknowledge you as an instructor in the Saotome School."

"Not enough," barked Ranma, "You've already made marrying Nabiki a matter of honor for me. I want something more from you. I want to be acknowledged as a master of the school, equal to you or Mister Tendo and I want it in writing, registered with the ward office." Ranma fought down a smile at that last bit. She knew that Genma may tell her that she was an equal, but she could never be regarded as such without documentation. She had forced Genma's hand, and the look on his face told her he knew it. As a registered master, Ranma didn't have to obey his father blindly out of obligation to the school. It was the first step to freedom.

Genma fought down his emotions at the unexpected demand from his son. Ranma had all but conceded to Genma's prize, but the cost of a defeat would be to publicly pronounce Ranma an equal, something he was never going to do. He figured he still had the advantage over the boy in skill, but if Ranma did transform the power imbalance in the match would be overwhelming.

He nodded and continued the negotiation, "You say I ask too much of you, and maybe you are correct. You seem to see something in Nabiki I do not, and it has gone better then I hoped. But now you ask me to give you something that is dear to our school, a master's title. You have not earned it yet."

"I will when I defeat you," Ranma stated without emotion.

Genma could not suppress a shudder at the coldness in Ranma's expression even as the fire continued to flow along her arms. He knew he was out of time, and made one last bid against the demon.

"I want something more if you are to be elevated to master. You will never again question my instructions. I want the obedience I have been denied since China," he demanded.

Ranma seemed to consider this, and Genma fought a sweat as the demon girl finally stood, extending a hand, "Done." Genma grasped the hand, sealing the deal. When he tried to pull away though, her grip tightened to the point when he felt bone begin to creek.

"If you back out on this," Ranma growled, "I may forget I'm a human for a moment, and eat your soul." With that she released his hand, spun on one heel, and marched out of the dojo, taking flight as soon as she was outside.

Genma shook out his hand, wincing in pain as he saw a bruise begin to form. It seemed that all his planning was coming to a head, and he had only nine days to prepare for a conflict he was hoping to postpone for at least a few more years.

Something had changed in his son. A combination of a demons power, the bizarre teachings of some old woman in China, and the mercenary mind of Nabiki Tendo had conspired to take the power away from him and place it in the hands of someone unworthy. Not since the final days under the founder of the school had Genma been backed so far into a corner.

"Good thing I like to fight dirty," Genma smiled, and started to plan.

Outside, Ranma had taken to the air, and climbed as high as she could, almost close enough to touch the clouds, and hovered above the city. It had taken everything she had, but she had kept her frustration and anger in check, and now she let it out in one long, primal scream. Her whole body shook as she vented ten years of abuse, yelling her frustrations into the night.

Spent, she slowly began to drift back down to earth, gliding on the air back to the Tendo compound to alight on the roof. She breathed in the young night, and allowed herself to feel refreshed as the darkness finished engulfing the sky.

For a moment she allowed herself to feel at peace.

The thunk of a ladder against the side of the house startled her, and she almost fell. After she recovered, she waited until a head popped up over the lip of the roof, and Nabiki climbed out onto the tile.

"How did it go," she asked Ranma, walking up next to her.

Ranma shrugged, "About how you would expect. Pops tried to badger me, and when I didn't take it he figured he'd challenge me. Two days after we cream the Bronze Duo I face him."

"Is that a good idea? The Golden Pair won't be pushovers you know," Nabiki told him.

"Maybe," the redhead responded, "but it's something I have to do. If I don't then I'll always be living in his shadow. But enough about that stuff. How did it pan out after I left?"

Nabiki sat down, and Ranma joined her, "Well, I'm guessing that Akane will go see this therapist friend of Dad's, but she's not happy about it. It seems like she's absolutely convinced that what we were doing was wrong." She sighed and leaned against Ranma, "Oh, and Dad wants to see you downstairs. That's what I came up here to find you for."

Ranma cringed and chuckled, "I don't suppose you have a sudden urge to take a quick trip to Hawaii or something?" Nabiki joined in the much needed laugh as Ranma stood and left to face the firing squad. Ranma jumped off the edge of the roof, watching Nabiki start back down the ladder, and glided down to land just outside the back porch.

She saw Soun sitting alone at the table and went in, folding her wings away as she passed inside. Giving the girl a nod, Soun gestured for Ranma to sit across from him. For several long moments there was silence, and Ranma began to feel more nervous then when she confronted her own father.

At long last, Soun spoke, "Ranma, when you came into this house, it was for the purpose of uniting the two divergent branches of our school. As the head of the Tendo School, I was overjoyed at the prospect, but as a father I was concerned about whichever daughter would end up marrying you. My girls are precious to me, and I would be understandably upset. In the time you have been here, you have faced many challenges, and I do not pretend to understand the nature of your dual existence. But you seem to have persevered. Now my youngest daughter comes forward with a claim of certain actions between you and Nabiki."

Ranma was about to object when Soun held up his hand and continued, "As Nabiki said it is not my place to attack you over the act itself. I am a father, and maybe someday you will understand, I must know if my daughter was harmed, or forced, or if she is not telling me everything. I must know why you have done this thing."

Ranma waited to answer, and spoke softly, "My old man is right about one thing, I am a demon. If I go too long without feeding, I may die. As a demon, I can only get energy from…sex…and, well…Nabiki knew this, and agreed to help me. I never really forced her into anything. We've become close, closer then I thought we would. She doesn't see me as a monster, or just a cursed boy, or just a demon girl. She sees the whole me. There has only been one other person to do that, and it makes her almost as precious to me as she is to you."

The man and the boy turned girl locked eyes, and Soun saw a reflection of himself at that age. The conviction Ranma had in her voice was just like when he spoke to his long lost wife's parents. He knew that there was probably nothing Ranma wouldn't do for Nabiki, and felt relief. They talked into the night, less about Ranma's past, and more about the present, and the future.

On the other side of town, Kodachi Kuno was tossing and turning in bed. Part of it was that no matter how she settled there would be pressure on some sore part of her anatomy, but for the most part she was unsettled because she had found two things that she was searching for all her life.

The redhead called Ranma had made her submit, it was true, but the short, exotic beauty was intriguing to her for another reason. She didn't care at all about Kodachi's station as a member of the wealthiest and most powerful family in Nerima. She may have even been ronin since she used the name of another person in her match, but that didn't seem to matter to her either. She came and did exactly what she said she was going to do, win.

And then there was the one who had taught this lithe firebrand, the Black Rose Queen, Kasumi Tendo. Kodachi saw that Kasumi Tendo had crafted an excellent successor in the girl, Ranma, but jealousy burned through her body. She wanted the redhead's place, to be the rightful heir. And serve at the feet of such a powerful woman.

But this Ranma had taken her title away, and disappeared into the night like some kind of shadow thief. Kodachi had no idea where the girl went, but before she had dismissed all her servants she had instructed them to find out everything they could about the redhead.

Kodachi shivered. She tried to stop thinking about the Queen, and her nimble Princess, but the more she tried the harder it was, and the wetter she got.

It was going to be a long night for Kodachi Kuno.

Halfway to China, another girl was having a rough night. Shampoo was spending less time worrying about her prey though, primarily due to the fact that she had discovered that she was susceptible to seasickness. Her condition, combined with the fact that it was the first sleep she had since leaving her Mistress, caused her to have a strange nightmare.

She was hunting, deep in the woods, two Amazon sisters flanking her, their faces oddly blurred. Even if she couldn't see them, she knew that they were the most reliable warriors she knew. They were tracking an intruder with orders to kill on sight.

Soon the forest opened into a large field, where the intruder stood. He was handsome, and unclothed in the night air, and Shampoo approached silently, undetected. At the instant before she struck, her two companions yelled a warning to her, telling her to stop.

The male turned in time to receive Shampoo's sword in his chest, but as it slid into him, all he said was, "Wo Ai Ni, Shampoo." His form blurred, and in front of her stood one of her companions, the redhead, with the sword buried in her breast.

The other girl was crying behind her, and Shampoo watched as blue fire faded from the redhead's eyes.

Shampoo's scream tore through the night as she awoke. Drawing herself up into a ball, she shivered against the cold and the emotions that ran through her. After a few moments, the dream seemed to fade away, and she was left wondering why she felt drained.

Even when the dream was completely gone, and she lay back down to try and sleep again, she could not dismiss an image of those blue eyes, fading into darkness.

To be continued.


	15. Icee that we have a Problem

Author's Note: Ranma's world was dreamed up by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I'm just going to borrow them for a while to tell another story. This isn't for money, just for fun. This story also contains adult themes, like sex and violence so be warned. Then again, if you like sex and violence, come on down.

P.S.: still and always for Janice.

Ranma was lacing up his rental skates as he watched Nabiki pull on her own pair across from him. They sat in the preparation area for the municipal skating rink, and Ranma had to admit it was more than he was expecting. When he thought of skating, he figured that a frozen pond somewhere was needed, but now he saw that his father had not only kept him away from other people, but modern technology as well.

To be perfectly honest, the first time Nabiki's cell phone went off, he had to be peeled off the ceiling and convinced that there wasn't some kind of alien invasion going on.

He finished lacing and looked up to see Nabiki stand, and let out a whistle. She had worn tight black pants and a baggy sweater, but the extra layers didn't hide her figure, and Ranma was grateful.

"You make that look good," he smiled at his fiancé.

Nabiki smirked and helped him up, "And you make anything look good, in either form. So why didn't you come as a girl? That is what you are competing as, right?"

Ranma's smile flickered for a moment, but he answered, "Five days from now I have to face my old man, and the more time I spend getting up to speed in my male form, the better."

Nabiki frowned slightly, "That's not it, is it?"

"No fooling you," he sighed and continued, "He's a jerk, but Pops may be right about one thing, I have been relying on my powers too much lately. I need to stand up on my own if I'm ever to show him that I'm…well…not what he thinks I am."

"Good enough," Nabiki smiled and gave him a kiss, "Now let's get out there and see what you can do."

Ranma smiled, "Right on." He took a step onto the rink's ice, and instantly the blade of his skate slid wide, flipping him backwards as his other foot caught on the lip of the rink. A loud crash echoed through the rink as Ranma crashed into the ground, his legs split wide. He managed to croak out two words in a high pitched voice.

"New pain…"

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 15

Icee that we have a Problem

Back in the prep area, Nabiki poured a small amount of cold water over Ranma's head, and his black hair seemed to wash away to red as the transformation swept over him. With a sigh she looked up at Nabiki with a grateful smile.

"That helped," Ranma said, "The pain is a lot less in this form. I guess there is an advantage after all."

Nabiki smirked and answered, "That and all the flexibility training you did before. I think your whole muscle structure is different when you change, you need to get used to the way you move in both forms."

Ranma nodded at the logic and stood up, "I'll work on the other half later on then. For now, I guess I need to learn how to skate." She shifted to a pout and widened her eyes to a needy expression, glancing at Nabiki, "Will you help me?"

"Ack, not the puppy dog look! I give, yes I'll teach you, you sneaky little minx," Nabiki said, making humorous warding gestures at Ranma. The two girls returned to the ice, hand in hand, and started out. Right away, Nabiki could tell she had her hands full as Ranma almost pulled both of them down after only a short distance.

Starting again, Nabiki concentrated on getting Ranma to be able to simply stand on the ice, recognizing that the girl seemed to have an issue with balance. At first she thought it was that Ranma was rather top-heavy in this form, but then two things occurred to her. Ranma's fighting style was one of constant motion, his or her body always moving in one way or another, the idea of letting the ground do the moving and standing more or less still was throwing the redhead off.

Then there was the fact that Ranma was hiding a set of wings in her back that she had been using to augment her balance in combat. Not having those extra limbs for balance, and deliberately not using them was probably a strain on the determined girl. Fortunately, Ranma was more then willing to fight on, and was struggling to adapt.

Nabiki was leading the girl through the first few meters of a controlled slide when something rammed into her from behind, causing her to stumble and release Ranma. Spinning around, Nabiki caught sight of Azusa Shiratori skating by with a smug look, and Nabiki had to take a moment to reconcile the whiny hyperactive girl with what Azusa wore.

The skater girl had on what almost passed for a sequined leotard, with fishnet stockings covering her legs down to her skates. The bottom of the leotard was trimmed with a partial skirt of translucent material that started at the girl's crotch and ran up around her hips. It seemed like the airhead was trying to draw attention to the fact that she was jailbait on the prowl.

"Oh I'm sorry," she gave a false smile at Nabiki and drawled out, "Did Azusa hit the ugly, clumsy skank on her ice?"

Nabiki fought down the urge to psychically rip the girl's legs off, and simply countered, "At least I don't look like a poster child for pedophilia."

A flash of anger crossed Shiratori's face, but it soon washed away with a light smile, "I think your friend is having a little trouble on the ice, don't you?"

Nabiki spun around to see Ranma sliding away at high speed, out of control and headed backwards towards a wall. She kicked off and tried to sprint over to catch the flailing girl, but was intercepted by a blindingly fast Azusa who came in and almost kicked her again. She growled and wished that Ranma's combat lessons had already begun.

Just before the out of control redhead slammed into the wall, a pair of hands grabbed her sides from behind and lifted her into the air, and she curved away from the wall. Ranma looked behind her, confused for a moment, and found the light smile of Mikado Sanzenin. The skater pulled Ranma in close so he could softly speak into Ranma's ear and spoke in a soothing voice.

"I must say," he began, "it's a real pleasure to see you again, Miss."

Ranma grunted, "Pleasure is all yours, creep." She braced herself and kicked off him, jumping away to land unsteadily next to Nabiki, who took hold of the smaller girl to lend support. Azusa slid to stand next to her partner and elbowed him.

"Enough of spending time with your toys, it's time to practice," she told him and gestured to a large hockey team moving on to the ice. The two partners moved towards the large assembly of men who were milling about, checking their hockey sticks and pads in preparation for activity.

Ranma and Nabiki watched, and the Golden Pair took a ready pose on the ice as the mob finished preparations and moved towards them. Azusa leaped up, landing nimbly on Mikado's shoulders as he began a graceful push into the middle of the armed men.

"The Attack of One Hundred Foes," Mikado intoned as the hockey players began to move.

On wobbly legs, Ranma watched with a clinical martial artist eye as the pair launched into a series of almost choreographed attacks, using every limb in a whirl of motion the duet struck out. Mikado would toss Azusa up, elbowing an opponent and kicking out at another, then catching Azusa as she came down from an airborne knee strike to swing in his arms, slicing at the padding of yet another opponent with her skates. It progressed in this fashion as one after another the attackers were knocked away, or retreated out of range of flashing silver blades.

"Whoa," Nabiki commented as number fifty crashed into a nearby retaining wall.

Ranma's expression remained unchanged as she leaned against Nabiki and said, "Maybe, but it's all orchestrated. The hockey guys are attacking in a pattern, no more then two or three at a time." She considered for a moment, "This is a show, put on to intimidate us by a display of seemingly unbeatable skill."

"I hate to tell you," Nabiki said, "but its working. You can barely skate, and I can barley fight. They may be faking a fight, but they are still good enough to move like that, and the truth is we are not." She sighed and looked at her grinning companion in resignation, "We are so screwed."

Ranma shook her head as number seventy whizzed by heading for the wall to land in his fellow's lap, "Five days is all the time we need, I promise you. Ranma Saotome never loses, and neither will Nabiki Tendo."

With a final attack, the Golden Pair finished their demonstration, Azusa landing gracefully in Mikado's arms as he smugly said, "Finito."

Bolstered by Ranma, Nabiki was about to fire off a rude comment to the showy duo, but a commotion from across the rink drew her attention as she saw her sister had arrived and was showing off her pet piglet to a group of friends.

"Don't look now, but we may have trouble," she told Ranma as the redhead groaned at the sight of the girl snuggling the transformed Ryoga.

"One of these days, I'm gonna have to kill him," the redhead growled. They were about to join Akane, when a sequined blur shot past them and snatched Ryoga out of Akane's arms.

As she retreated away from Akane, Azusa growled out, "What are you doing with Azusa's Charlotte?"

Akane's eyes locked onto the other girl in disbelief, "That's my P-Chan you just stole! Give him back!" She was about to charge the other girl, but pulled up short growling, reigning in her temper.

Nabiki skated over, leaving a mostly stable Ranma and said, "That's what the match is about, remember, Akane. We told you about that in class yesterday."

"I know," growled the younger Tendo, "But that doesn't give her the right to snatch poor P-Chan right out of my hands." The piglet nodded franticly in agreement as he struggled against the clutches of Shiratori.

"We'll see about that," Azusa said smugly, "until then, I got a widle pwesent for my pwecous widdle piggy." With that she flicked her wrist, snapping a collar around P-Chan's neck. Akane quickly snatched the piglet back and examined him. It was a simple gold band with a heart shaped pendent with the English name Charlotte inscribed on it.

"How could you," she snarled and tugged at the collar, but was unable to pull it free without hurting her pet.

Azusa held up a key and almost crowed out, "If your friends somehow win, then you get little Franklin here, otherwise, I keep Charlotte. And judging by your friends attempts, it will be easy."

Nabiki whipped her head around and caught sight of a panicked Ranma as she flailed to stay upright. She made a break for the redhead before she could fall, but saw plainly that she wouldn't make it. Just as she was about to hit the ice, Ranma was scooped up once again by Mikado, this time from the front as he skated away from Nabiki.

Holding Ranma close, Mikado leaned closer and softly said, "I could teach you to skate, beautiful."

Wincing at the closeness of the male, and how it was affecting her demonic physiology, Ranma managed, "No thanks, we're doing fine."

"Then at least you can thank me for the rescue," he smiled and leaned in. Before Ranma could object or react, he was in contact with her, their lips touching. Her eyes bugged out as Sanzenin kissed her, warmth passing to her as he slid one hand along the side of her breast and lingered on her lips.

_Nononononononononononononono_, was all Ranma could think as higher brain functions refused to respond, and for a moment, it seemed like she was going to give in to the base urges that grew from the dark portions of her mind. She almost gave in to the siren song in her core, and drained the fool dry.

Suddenly she was back on the ice, and Mikado stood there with a satisfied smile. She took one step away, and saw out the corner of her eye that Nabiki was rushing to her aid, a half shocked, half grinning Akane right behind her. But she could not face them.

Taking one step away, she let out a long scream that echoed throughout the rink with such intensity that everyone had to cover their ears and flinch away from the pressure and emotion it carried. Only Nabiki was spared the brunt of the outburst by using her mental power to deflect most of the pressure wave away from her, and so she was the only one to see Ranma's wings rip out her back as the redhead launched herself into the air, sending a large blast of demonic fire into the skylight, and escaping at high speed.

Falling to the ice, for a moment she despaired that Ranma had gone off the deep end, but she refused to give up. Trying to reign in the chaos of her own mind, she reached out to the fleeing demon.

"_Ranma,"_ she called out, seeking the wayward girl. All she got was a jumble of emotions ranging from confusion, to lust, to raw blood red rage. She grabbed on to the knot of conflicting feelings and gave her lover an additional anchor against the storm. Soon the emotional tsunami boiled down to one thought.

_I'm going to KILL that fuck!_

She saw a comet like form drop back into the arena as the last echo of the scream faded away, and as it landed steam poured up from the ice. Ranma had came back down surrounded by hellfire, instantly superheating the ice and causing the boiling mist to transform him back into a male. Slamming his feet into the rink hard enough to plant his skate blades halfway into the ice, he marched out of the mist and confronted the recovering Sanzenin.

"For that little stunt," Ranma told him in a low voice, "you're dead."

Mikado looked confused, "The young lady just seemed to be a little overwhelmed by my…"

"Wrong thing to say, punk," Ranma interrupted and launched at the taller boy, murder in his eyes as he executed a high kick, aiming for the neck. Quickly Mikado slid out of the way, and whipped his leg up and down on top of Ranma's head, planting the pigtailed boy face first into the ice.

"Fool," the skater commented, "going for a clumsy attack when you can't even stand. I…" He was about to go on, but Ranma shot up from the ground behind him and attacked again. With one hand he pressed off the ice, as the other stretched out, a knife edge strike going for Mikado's heart. The only thing to save the male half of the Golden pair was Ranma's continued awkwardness on skates, and once more he slipped away missing his mark. The strike was not totally ineffective though, as Mikado felt his shirt come open where Ranma had grazed him, leaving a clean cut section open to the cold. He again skated away as Ranma began to stand, and decided to end the fight now.

As Ranma launched at him again, Mikado stood his ground, and began to spin in place.

Off to one side, Nabiki heard one of the beaten hockey players gasp out, "The Dance of Death. Nobody can survive that kind of attack!" She was about to launch herself at Sanzenin, hoping that some kind of telekinetic attack would throw him off, but Akane raised an arm to block her path.

"What are you doing," she asked her sister, on the verge of panic.

Akane only stood there, counting, "Twenty…forty…seventy…one hundred…"

Nabiki looked at her sister in disbelief, and was about to push past. Then she saw the clinical look in Akane's eyes, and she wasn't watching the spinning skater. Soon the Dance of Death stopped and Ranma landed head first a few meters away from the two girls, and Akane finally lowered her hand and announced, "five hundred forty two."

Nabiki rushed to Ranma's side to check on the downed boy, but before she reached him, he used his arms to lever himself up to a sitting position. He looked like he was about to attempt to stand, but he could not manage to get any more strength out, and collapsed back to the ice.

Nabiki finally reached him and he gasped out, "That showed him."

Azusa looked on with slight contempt as every other skater looked on in awe. An unknown had survived the unstoppable ultimate attack of Mikado Sanzenin, and was still able to move. She glided over to stand in front of Ranma and Nabiki.

"I guess we call that round a draw," she said, not really wanting to compromise with her opponent.

"Nope," Akane said, coming up behind her sister, "Ranma won that one. Go look yourself."

Azusa looked at the girl, and then turned to her partner, who was still holding the finishing pose for his attack. Skating over, she waved her hand in front of Mikado's still open eyes, but there was no response. She began to poke his side in a manner she knew would annoy him, but still no movement.

Akane leaned down to help Ranma off the rink and announced, "Ranma hit him five hundred forty two times in less then a minute. The letch passed out after the first hundred and momentum kept them going." She looked over at her sister, supporting Ranma's other side and quietly said, "You had better win this contest coming up, or I will beat the hell out of your boyfriend for loosing P-Chan to that weirdo."

"I guess the therapy is working, huh sis."

Akane shrugged, "Not really. The creep thought I was repressing my own sexuality or something, so I hit him for being a pervert. I'm just trying not to upset Daddy anymore after the chewing out I got." She helped Nabiki get Ranma to the benches off the ice and dropped the pigtailed boy on one, "I'm still mad at you, and I hate him, but I'm never going to disappoint Daddy again." With that, she walked off, taking an unusually quiet transformed Ryoga with her.

"I don't think that was the point of therapy," Nabiki said quietly to her sister's back, then turned to tend to Ranma. His wounds were minor, and it seemed that the worst injury he suffered was a few cuts on his torso when the Dance of Death had begun. He was simply worn out, having used everything he had to pour fist after fist into his target.

She managed to get him upright, and after a little food and drink to give him a quick boost of energy; the two teens were able to slowly make their way home. After that, and one of Kasumi's meals, Ranma was at about half strength, and he announced that it was enough to begin Nabiki's training.

They retreated into the dojo, and Ranma leaned against the wall as Nabiki, now clad in one of her sister's spare gi's, stood in the middle of the practice mat, waiting for instruction. Nabiki could feel the emotional pain rolling off Ranma, even though he was trying to suppress it, and was about to try and get the martial artist to open up.

That is until Genma burst into the dojo.

"What is this, boy," the older man barked out at the still tired Ranma, "I'm told you are going around seducing men now! Oh the shame! This must come to an end, or you will truly be lost..."

Once again, Genma found himself held against a wall by Nabiki's invisible force. She shook her head at Ranma, who was about to stop her, and slowly growled out, "Who…Told…You?"

Genma found himself struggling for air, and couldn't answer if he wanted too. Then he felt it, a clawing in his mind as Nabiki entered, looking for the answer. He didn't even try to resist as he felt the pressure on his chest and in his head increase.

Nabiki let him down and turned to Ranma, "Ryoga."

Ranma shook his head, sighing, and said, "He probably thinks it will motivate Pops here into turning our little match into something more. Or maybe he figures that it's a way he can get his revenge by spreading it around. This has to be the most embarrassing thing ever to happen to me, so in a way, he's right."

"And Genma," Nabiki asked.

Ranma looked at his father and spoke softly, "I was violated, but you know all about that, don't you. You're just pissed off that you didn't think of it first. As long as I think I'm not strong enough to defend myself as a girl, and I think I'm too weak to measure up as a man, you win." Ranma stood and glared down at Genma, "Well guess what, Pops. Sure, I got shook up bad, and it will probably take a while for me to recover. But it won't stop me from putting those skating brats down, because that Sanzenin guy is no better then you, and I KNOW I'm going to put you down."

With that, Ranma gave a nod to Nabiki, and she telekinetically lifted the struggling Genma up, and tossed him out of the dojo and into the koi pond where he shifted to his panda form. After closing the door, she went over to where Ranma was once more leaning against the wall and gave him a warm hug.

"Are you really going to be all right," she asked.

Ranma shivered and welcomed her embrace, "Not for a while. It was like Kuno all over again, I had to fight off those damn demon instincts, and it gave the creep the opening he needed to kiss me. I thought I had better control, but I'm still learning I guess."

"Maybe you should have drained him dry," Nabiki chuckled, "Then at least we wouldn't have to fight him." Her joke however, seemed to fall flat as soon as she said it. She let go of Ranma and gave him an apologetic look, and he gave a simple nod in reply.

"Ok," Ranma began, "let's get back to getting ready so it won't be a problem fighting those two wackos." He led her back to the center of the dojo and assumed a lose stance, "Did your father teach you any of the Tendo style?"

Nabiki shrugged, "A little when I was a kid. After a while, I just didn't want to keep going, so he focused on Akane. Look how good that turned out."

Ranma gestured to her to take a stance and said, "We'll just take what you remember, and add to it. I'm going to concentrate on defense with you and I'll handle the offence."

"Is that a good idea," Nabiki asked, "we may need to bail each other out of tight spots, and I can't do that with a block."

Ranma smirked, "Actually, you can. I'm going to show you Aikido and Tai Chi styles that can reverse an opponent's force, turning it against them. I figured it would suit you better then the ground and pound that Akane does."

Slowly, Ranma took Nabiki through the beginnings of the different styles, allowing her to feel out how the movements went as she moved to block slow punches from Ranma. To Nabiki it seemed that only music was required to turn it into a graceful dance, but she remembered that every time a hand touched her in this dance, it represented a blow that could break bones.

After an hour of this Nabiki was covered in sweat, and Ranma wasn't even breathing hard. She felt sore, but at the same time she felt a sense of accomplishment. For the last few minutes before Ranma had stopped, his speed had increased to what Nabiki thought of as matching her sister's own, and she was able to block or deflect over half the strikes.

Panting, but refusing to give up just yet, she told Ranma, "Let's go a few more minutes, but this time I want to try and use my powers."

Ranma blinked, "Are you sure? I mean, I'm trying to prove that I don't need mine, and you want to use yours?"

Nabiki smiled, "I'm not the warrior you are, lover boy. I don't think I'm going to be up to your level in five days."

Sighing, Ranma conceded the point and took a ready stance again. Nabiki closed her eyes, and let her mind drift for a moment. She had worked on her power for the last month that Ranma had been around, and this would be the real test of how far she had come.

She opened her eyes again, and nodded that she was ready. Ranma launched a punch at the same speed as before, and Nabiki flowed around it, sensing where it was directed. Bringing one hand up, she deflected the following punch and was inside Ranma's guard, stepping away from a low kick, she tapped him on the chest and spun back out again. The pace increased again, but Nabiki, in her self induced trance, was able to see each punch and each kick a split second before Ranma attacked. She moved into close range and made openings to tag him several times over the next two minutes.

Trying another approach, she spun around one of Ranma's punches, and with one hand caught his arm in a telekinetic grip and pulled him past her as she whipped around. In a heartbeat her concentration was lost as she felt Ranma's surprise as he was casually tossed into the air to land on the far side of the dojo.

Slumped upside down against the wall, Ranma looked wide eyed at Nabiki, and let a small smile crawl onto his face, "Now that's what I'm talking about. That's a big difference, isn't it?"

"How do you keep from using your power all the time," Nabiki asked in wonder.

"It's hard," Ranma admitted, flipping upright, "but at least mine have an off switch. Anyway, I think that's enough for today. You were right, you aren't a warrior, but if you keep this up then you will be able to dance around anyone who comes after you."

Nabiki chuckled, "I'll take dancing over fighting every time." Ranma righted himself, and Nabiki sat next to him, opening her gi slightly to cool off after the workout. "I feel like I got put through the wringer, and you aren't even sweating a little. How do you manage that?"

"Ten years of suicidal martial arts training is my guess," he said, and was about to continue, but when he turned to look at her, he saw out of the corner of his eye that she was fanning herself with one of the flaps to the top of her gi, and with every flap, her large breast was exposed.

Nabiki noticed his sudden silence and looked at her fiancé, seeing the line from his eyes to her chest. She smiled and pulled back on the flap, showing more skin and enjoying the loud gulp that came from Ranma.

"See something you like," she asked sweetly.

Ranma nodded dumbly, and Nabiki was once more amazed at the difference in inhibitions between the boy and girl forms of her lover. Holding her top open, she used her free hand to grab hold of Ranma's hand, and guide it to rest on her exposed breast. She felt him freeze up, and quickly moved in close to give him an encouraging kiss on the cheek.

"I guess it's not like I haven't done this before," Ranma said, half to himself, "It's just that there are differences, and I'm only starting to understand them." He relaxed a little and began to give Nabiki's breast a massage, kneading it gently as she relaxed in his arms. The two teens shared warmth and company as the quiet surrounded them for a moment of peace. Nabiki knew that Ranma wouldn't go any further then a grope right now, so she luxuriated in the soft sensations, finding them just as comforting as they were stimulating.

The two teens were halfway asleep when there was a soft knock on the dojo door, and Ranma pulled his hand away, moving it to simply hold Nabiki as she called for whoever it was to enter. The door slid open, and quickly slid shut again as Kasumi entered, holding a small glass of water.

"We have a guest here to see us," she said looking at Ranma, "Kodachi Kuno wants to speak with the Black Rose Queen, and apparently the Black Rose Princess."

Ranma groaned at this, and Nabiki had to stifle a laugh as a pained expression crossed her lover's face. She got up, and taking the glass from her sister held it over Ranma's head.

"One of these days," Ranma groused, "I'd like to actually DRINK a glass of water instead of having to absorb it through my head." He nodded to Nabiki, and with a splash of water, black turned red, a muscled chest became a well endowed bosom, and a put upon boy became an equally put upon girl. Kasumi gave Ranma a sympathetic smile and opened the door again to allow Kodachi in.

Ranma and Nabiki were expecting the bombastic Kuno to charge in and attack them, but the sight that greeted them was a bit of a surprise. The gymnast wore a formal kimono of dark green, her hair in a bun. As she entered she bowed politely to Ranma and Nabiki, and sat off to one side as Kasumi closed the door behind her and sat with the bewildered couple.

Kasumi cleared her throat and began, "Now why did you wish to speak to the two of us, Kodachi?"

Kodachi again bowed, this time her head touching the floor and as she sat up again she said, "I wanted to apologize for my actions, my Queen. When I took up your mantle, I thought it was in tribute to the person I admired. I did not recognize you, but I do now, and I apologize to you, and your apprentice for attempting to usurp her place." Again her head touched the floor, this time in Ranma's direction, and the redhead had no idea how to react.

"Kodachi, please sit up," Kasumi said quietly, "There is no need for such formality here." She took a deep breath as the gymnast sat up again and a curious expression crossed her face. "You need to understand something," Kasumi continued, "originally; the Black Rose Queen was just something that was between me and my friends that we kept after a certain, less then reputable, event. You seem to have misinterpreted that and turned it into something larger. Yes, I used that name for competition, and I feel a special attachment to the memories it holds. That is why I trained Ranma, to protect those memories. I haven't used the name Black Rose Queen in almost two years now."

"And I ain't no Princess," Ranma added for good measure.

Kodachi paused, and then asked, "But what of those techniques that you used against me and the wager over the title and the boy Ranma. Surely those were the actions of a Queen defending her property."

Ranma blushed, and Nabiki chuckled, "Kasumi didn't want you running around making her look bad. The two Ranma's are complicated. And those tricks you got hit with are kinky sex games; you only thought they were gymnastics techniques." Ranma blanched at her fiancé's bluntness, but Kasumi nodded confirmation. Kodachi was rocked back by this, and sat stunned for a moment while she sorted it all out.

"I am not sure I understand all that you say," she finally said, "I thought that when you were queen, those under you served you to relieve your stresses so you could perform to a superior standard."

Kasumi blushed, "Actually we were a bunch of horny girls who enjoyed that kind of thing. I never abused the trust they put in me, everything we did was give and take. I was a much less reserved person back then."

"What about you," Kodachi asked, her surprise growing, "You were so powerful and demanding in the ring, and this girl seems to be your property. Surely this isn't just a game?"

"I am no one's property," stated Nabiki flatly, "but yes, I am Ranma's lover."

"As for the attitude in the ring," Ranma continued before Nabiki began to tear into the obviously disoriented girl, "there are a few reasons for that. Primarily, it seemed like it was the only way to get through to you."

Kodachi considered this, and felt the ring of truth. She admitted to herself that her in ring attitude was a little…intense. But it still left many questions unanswered.

Quietly, she asked, "So what do I do now? I came here to try and resolve the dilemma in my mind. I was going to offer myself as a slave to you, and now I find you have no interest in such things." Her eyes filled with tears and she had to choke back an unexpected sob, "I can't have my own servants around me anymore, and with no one there I feel…I feel…"

"Alone," Ranma whispered in realization, "You're just like me, aren't you? Don't you have friends, or family?"

Kodachi wiped her eyes and gave a humorless laugh, "You know my brother, and that is all I have." Ranma winced at that, figuring that the elder Kuno was just as bad as her own father.

Kasumi picked up on what Ranma was thinking and moved to sit beside the distraught girl, "You did the right thing in coming here. I may not take you as a servant, as you thought, but I could use a friend. Would that be all right?"

"Hold on a second," Nabiki interrupted, "not to be little miss downer or anything, but how do we know this is on the up and up. Ranma may see loneliness in you, and my sister tries to make friends with everyone, but I'm not as easy to convince. Only last week you poisoned the boy Ranma and molested him on our roof. Then you tried to kill my younger sister and my favorite redhead. How do I know I can trust you after all that?"

"You could always make her your slave," Kasumi pointed out.

Nabiki blushed and waved her arms, "I already have a girlfriend, a boyfriend and all that other stuff. Plus I don't get off on that kinky stuff like you two."

Ranma blushed and mumbled, "That's the demon. Complain to it."

Kodachi looked up and asked, "Demon?"

Ranma and the Tendo girls winced at this, but before Ranma could say anymore Kasumi spoke up, "That is a matter of trust, Kodachi. And my sister has a point, what will you do to prove that we can trust you?" Nabiki nodded at her sister in thanks for her quick thinking and sat back to hear Kodachi's answer.

The girl simply said, "I'll do anything. I want to become stronger, better, and someone worthy of the reputation you created. If that means I have to start from scratch, so be it. I need to be the best…and…I don't want to be alone anymore."

Nabiki had been watching the girl while she said this, and skimming her surface thoughts to see if there was any deception. She mentally told the other two girls, _"It seems like she really does want this, she really wants to be better. She's driven, almost obsessed with being number one. You were right, Ranma, she is just like you."_

Kasumi nodded and put an arm around the gymnast, "As long as you stay true, I would be glad to call you a friend, and a student."

"What about you," Kodachi asked Ranma.

"I hate to say it," Ranma shrugged, "but you'll have to work on getting me to trust you all the way. But you don't have to worry about me as a competitor, once was enough for me."

Then Kodachi turned to Nabiki, who added, "I'm with Ranma, earn my trust and we're good."

"Then what about this demon you spoke of?"

The three winced again, hoping that Kodachi had been sidetracked by their partial acceptance. Sharing meaningful looks, and a mental conversation, the Tendo sisters decided that the decision was up to Ranma, and left it in her hands.

"I have secrets, and when you are ready I may share them with you. But they are secrets that could cause a lot of trouble, not just for me, but also for anyone who knows them. Please just leave it alone for now, and when you're ready we'll tell you," Ranma explained.

"What do you think," Kasumi asked, "You get friends and a teacher, and all you have to do is strive to be a good person. Will you?"

Kodachi looked from girl to girl. Nabiki seemed grudgingly accepting, and recognized that she was a girl who did not easily let people past her armor. Ranma had an unmistakable allure about her, but at the same time seemed to be on unsure footing regarding friends. She had even admitted to feeling some of what Kodachi had experienced. It was easy to see why her brother was obsessed with the mysterious beauty.

Then there was Kasumi, the girl Kodachi had idolized throughout her gymnastics career. Even looking like a housewife, the older girl…no, the young woman…held an air of grace and confidence about her. Even if she denied it, Kodachi still felt that she was in the presence of royalty. And now this wonder had said she would take her on as a student, and maybe a friend. Kodachi had no trouble making up her mind.

She turned to Kasumi and gave her a hug, kissing lightly on her lips, and after a moment she parted slightly and simply said, "Thank you." _My Mistress,_ she added in her head.

The four of them spent the next hour hearing how Kodachi had seen Kasumi's early career, Ranma blushing at the parts where Kodachi had spied on the Furinkan team's lovemaking, and how the ideal of the Black Rose had become Kodachi's diving goal. Ranma answered by giving an edited version of her training, and Nabiki again commented on the fact that both were obsessed with being the best in their fields.

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Tokyo, Shampoo had set up camp in a stand of trees off the railway tracks leading into the city. She marveled at the sight in the growing dusk as artificial light replaced the sun. In the last few hours since she had jumped off the freighter and swam ashore she had seen more then in her entire life back in the village. Cars, Bullet Trains, even aircraft flying overhead. Then there was the city itself, building tall enough to be seen miles away, scraping the clouds.

In the back of her mind she remembered that someone had told her about these wonders, but she still couldn't remember who. It didn't really matter, however, as tomorrow she would set out to find Nerima, and then the demon imposter.

She felt excitement at the prospect of finding her prey, but for some odd reason, it was not the thrill of battle she was expecting. Instead, as she lay on a simple blanket on the ground, she found herself picturing what the demon may look like, and always the same image popped into her mind. A short, energetic girl with fire red hair, generous endowments, and a warm smile, and for a moment each time there was a spark of recognition.

Shampoo put it aside as part of the succubus' demonic charm, but tonight it did not stop her hand from sliding into her silk pants. A fantasy, almost half a dream, filled her as a vision of lust fulfilled her desires.

It was self indulgence, and more, but she felt its need burn through her. There was something different however. As she neared her pinnacle there was a foreign sensation. Not the lust of her actions, no, it was instead a warm, binding sensation. One she remembered from another half dream.

Just before sleep took her completely, a simple sound escaped her.

"Ra…"

To be continued.

Endnote: For all those who have asked the complete UNEDITED version of this story is available on MediaMiner. However I do hope people are more interested in the story then the sex and keep coming back here as well. Until next time, sex sells, but plot brings people back. I hope I'm fulfilling that idea.


	16. Hot Nights, Cold Fights

Author's Note: Ranma's world was dreamed up by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I'm just going to borrow them for a while to tell another story. This isn't for money, just for fun. This story also contains adult themes, like sex and violence so be warned. Then again, if you like sex and violence, come on down.

P.S.: still and always for Janice.

Doctor Ryo Matsuda rubbed his temples as his young patient, Akane Tendo, sat scowling on the couch. In less then a week, the angry girl had not only punched him twice, but had also accused him of several perceived perversions. The girl's father was like a brother to him, but even that was not worth this girl.

"Look Akane," he started, "the whole idea of you coming here was so you could be honest with someone, and so you could learn why you react the way you do. As long as you continue to hide behind your anger, you will never understand the world around you."

Akane glared and countered, "I'm not hiding anything. I know you, Ranma, and even my sister are nothing but perverts. That's enough to warrant a beating in my book." She crossed her arms and sent a challenging look at the psychiatrist.

"Why do you think that, Ms. Tendo," he answered.

"Ha," she laughed, "As if you don't know. All you people think about is sex. Ranma tries to have sex with anything that moves, then he corrupts my sister, turning her into some kind of freak, and now I'm forced to see you, and all you tell me is that it's normal. There is nothing normal about sex and anyone who thinks about it should be dragged out into the street and shot."

Doctor Matsuda sighed, then struck on an idea, "If sex is so wrong, then why aren't you mad at your father?"

"Watch your mouth," the angry girl snarled, "My father is not a pervert."

"But he has had sex;" Ryo said, and suddenly realized something, "Do you know how babies are born, where you came from."

"Of course," Akane said, "I came from my mother, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"Oh boy," the doctor mumbled.

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 16

Hot Nights, Cold Fights

It was only a few hours until the match against the Golden Pair, and Nabiki had just asked Ranma to do something that pretty much floored the redheaded demon girl.

"Let me get this right," she began, confusion in her voice, "You want me to have sex with your sister. Did you really just say that?"

Nabiki sighed and tried again, "We are going into a big fight that neither of us is fully ready for, and I think it's a good idea for you to go in with the tanks full as it were, so I don't have to carry you home again. You can't feed off me because I'll need my energy in the match, so that leaves one option, Kasumi."

The eldest Tendo daughter was sitting on Nabiki's bed, watching Ranma's discomfort jump up a notch as she realized this was for real, and decided to comfort the poor girl.

"I understand it may seem a little odd," she tried, "but Nabiki is right. I understand the ramifications of what we are asking, but it won't do anyone any good if you run out of power in the middle of a fight."

Ranma pushed aside naughty thoughts and tried a different approach herself, "I won't use my powers. My hellfire uses too much anyway, and I've almost dropped every time I use it."

"That's because you end up using it at the last second, when you are already close to dropping from exhaustion anyway," Nabiki told her. "I'm giving you a free nookie card with my drop dead gorgeous sister, and you are debating the fine points of power conservation with me. What kind of sex demon are you anyway?"

Kasumi giggled at Nabiki's bluntness, and Ranma could only stand there blushing. In the back of her mind, she knew that Nabiki had a point, that the match would go a lot easier if her energy reserves were as large as possible, but it just didn't take away from the fact that Nabiki was standing there, accepting, and wanting Ranma to feed off her sister.

Ranma was seriously considering running for her life.

Nabiki lightly placed a hand on Ranma's shoulder and softly said, "Every time you use them, your powers drain you. What happens if you push too far one time? Kasumi and I have talked about this, and we both are worried about you."

"You are like a part of the family already," Kasumi added, "I'm not asking you to marry me, just to see me as a friend who will help you no matter what." Ranma still seemed unsure, but took a deep breath and extended her senses to see if it really could work. What surprised her was that both girls were in a state of high arousal, and Ranma hadn't done anything yet. Kasumi wasn't forcing herself to do this out of friendship, she wanted to do this. And Nabiki was oozing anticipation at the very thought of watching the demon and her sister go at it.

Ranma took a big gulp and looked at Nabiki, "Are you really sure about this?"

"Fuck my sister," commanded Nabiki, and moved away, sitting in her desk chair and waiting with a gleam in her eye. Sighing, Ranma turned her attention to Kasumi, and found that the one time gymnastic dominatrix was slowly pulling off her housedress to reveal herself.

As the plain dress came off, pale skin was shown, and a simple bra and pair of panties soon followed it onto the floor. Ranma gulped as Kasumi lay back on the bed, nude and unashamed. She was every inch a woman, and Ranma wondered why she hid behind the mask of a housewife.

Nabiki had to coax her slightly, but when Ranma looked down she saw only Kasumi's warm and welcoming eyes. She knew then that this was not just a matter of energy; it was a matter of love. Kasumi loved her sister, and she loved Ranma, and she was willing to give of herself for their sakes.

Ranma took what she had learned with her times before and applied it here. Soon her reservations slipped away as she indulged in Kasumi's soft skin, her warm feelings, and her delicious energy.

And the eldest Tendo sister was not inactive. Ranma's clothes joined her own on the floor as the redhead found how skilled the woman was. Fingers danced, teeth grazed, lips joined and they lost themselves in a dance of lust.

Nabiki was not unaffected either. Watching the two of them made her sweat, pant, and moan as she administered to her own needs as desire filled the air in the room.

Ranma's feeding came to a head, and the woman beneath her cried out, rattling the windows as she gave her core to the feasting demoness.

Ranma held Kasumi down until the final spasm marched across her body and she lay still. For a moment, Ranma panicked thinking she had drained too much of Kasumi's life energy. But soon the sound of her breathing filled her ears with relief, and with a second check she found that the girl was only sleeping.

Ranma stood, and stretched, enjoying the feeling of power coursing through her, and turned to face Nabiki. The middle Tendo sister had her panties around one ankle, which was resting on her desk as she had masturbated to the erotic sight, and now she was sitting, eyes locked on Ranma in wonder.

"You're glowing," she whispered, "not just the eyes this time. It's like you're plugged in or something."

Ranma looked down and saw a pale light emanating from her arms and replied, "In a way, I am. I've never really let go like that before and fed that much. I feel like I could do anything right now." Ranma reached inside herself to judge the amount of power, and was amazed at how much could be drained from someone. She looked up at Nabiki again and saw that her lover was a little worn from her self stimulation. Getting an idea, Ranma moved in front of her and leaned down.

For a moment, Nabiki was worried that Ranma had gone full demon and was going to feed on her too, but she felt no hunger from the oncoming girl, and opened her mouth to accept a deep kiss from the redhead. She tasted her sister on Ranma's tongue, and a strange tingle as an almost electric charge passed between them. She almost came again at the sensation as her mind sang.

As Ranma broke off the kiss, Nabiki saw that only the demon girl's eyes were glowing now, and asked, "What happened?"

Ranma smiled and helped Nabiki stand, then had her face her bedroom mirror. In it Nabiki saw that her own eyes were emanating a light brown light just as Ranma's emitted a light blue aura.

"I gave you some of the energy," Ranma explained, "There was so much, and since you shared me with your sister, I decided to share your sister with you. I'm glad it worked. How do you feel?"

"_Like I can see the world and more,"_ Nabiki's mind spoke to her fiancé as she began floating off the floor, hovering a few centimeters off the ground by simple will alone.

"Wow," Ranma simply said at this accomplishment, and gave the floating girl a hug. The two of them shared a normal kiss, then tucked Kasumi into bed as the young woman continued to sleep a blissful sleep. Getting dressed again, the teens slipped out of the room and cleaned themselves quickly, then grabbed a duffle containing the skating costumes that Kasumi had made for them and headed out for the rink to face their opponents.

During the run there, Nabiki found that she could easily keep up with Ranma, a feat that she thought was normally impossible. As she examined this, she saw that not only was she keeping up, but their steps and breaths were in perfect synch. As they approached the rink, she mentally examined the energy that Ranma had given her, and found that it was still tied to the demon girl, allowing a kind of link between them.

As she realized this, Ranma spoke up, "I guess it's a side effect, I really didn't know what would happen. I just wanted to give you a boost going into this."

"You answered my question," Nabiki said, surprised, "I suppose it works both ways then."

"If it does, then the Goofy Pair are in for a rough time," Ranma smiled and led them into the locker rooms for the event.

Word had gotten around about the match, and every fight fan in Nerima had shown up to line the rink in anticipation of another great show. Several of the spectators were Furinkan students who had witnessed the battle between Ranma and Kodachi only a week ago, and they were spending the entire week telling friends about the amazing abilities of a specific nimble, and well built, redhead. Add that to Nabiki's reputation as a cold, calculating beauty that ran Furinkan High's underground, and many began to wonder what a duo would be capable of.

One spectator knew that they would be dangerous.

Ryoga had given himself a full five days to get here, and he had spent it all planning. He knew his freedom to be Akane's pet pig was on the line, and for once he was putting aside any animosity he had left towards Ranma, and was getting ready to jump in to defend himself. He wanted to stay out of it and watch Ranma fail, but he was beginning to see that revenge was going to get him nowhere. In his battles with Ranma since returning to Japan, Ryoga had been defeated every time, whether by Ranma's power, or the frozen glare of his girlfriend.

He was also beginning to think Ranma was losing patience with him, and would eventually carry out her threat to roast him in demonic fire.

He sat back, and waited for his moment.

The lights in the rink lowered and a single spotlight speared into the dark to land on the Golden Pair as they made their entrance. Mikado held Azusa aloft on one shoulder as they glided mid-rink to an overture of classical music. It was routine for them, they had done it before and won every time, and their confidence showed in their wardrobe. Mikado wore a white and blue tuxedo glistening with tiny, sewn in crystals, and Azusa wore a matching white leotard with transparent blue sleeves and skirt. They skated to center ice and acknowledged the cheers of their fans in attendance, also behaving as if adulation was routine to them.

As their music died down a second spotlight shone down on the far side of the rink, where Ranma and Nabiki waited. It had taken a considerable amount of persuasion from Nabiki and Kasumi, but Ranma had finally agreed, or rather caved in, that showmanship was half the fight in a competition like this.

Ranma wore her red leotard from the gymnastics match with a pair of black skates and her own long black leather gloves. The black metal Rose clasp glinted in the spotlight above her exposed cleavage. Her wings were proudly displayed, outwardly to match Nabiki's outfit, but also because they seemed to be able to help her balance on the ice.

And the wings did match Nabiki, who had a blue leotard that matched Ranma's, a white line tracing up opposed of Ranma's black seam, and ending with a silver rose clasp over the circular cutout atop her breasts. Attached at her shoulders where a pair of white feather wings that countered Ranma's black leathery wings.

The effect was and angel and a demon glided out onto the ice, each circling the other in perfect synchronization as they were introduced to a light rock beat. They came to a rest across from the Golden Pair, back to back with hands clasped and wings spread with matched looks of absolute confidence on their faces.

Among the spectators, Akane had made her way to the match and saw her sister and her transgendered fiancé shining in the spotlight. She had to admit that they looked pretty out on the ice, contrasts in light and dark, even though they were both abnormal to her.

At least that is what she had been telling herself for the last three hours since her therapist dropped a massive bomb on her. To be bluntly told about the actual workings of childbirth was a bit of a shock to her system, but then she was told that it was something that she should have known years ago was quite another thing. Then the doctor had gone a step further when she objected to Ranma's liaisons as a female and explained homosexuality and bisexuality. Akane almost belted him a good one again for lying, but he had brought out books on human development that were obviously meant for an age group below her, and she had felt humiliated by her lack of knowledge.

That isn't to say she was going to accept what he said at face value, it just meant that she was going to have to reconsider a few things.

Hating Ranma for being a pervert was not on that list.

She watched as the competitors started a graceful exchange on the ice, Ranma tossing Nabiki into the air as the Golden Pair swept in to attack. Nabiki flipped in the air, landing a knee on Azusa's head as Ranma slid past Mikado and landed a fierce punch to his midsection. Ranma continued on and caught Nabiki as the two seemed to move in unison around the rink to attack again.

Akane was amazed at how far they had progressed and decided to stick around to see how it turned out. She looked for an empty seat and plopped down, not really caring who she was next to as long as she could see the match.

"A…A…Akane…What are you doing here?" She turned and saw the bandana wearing boy that had attacked Ranma at the school only a few weeks ago.

"Ryoga? I just came to see if my sister could actually pull off some kind of scam or something," she lied, "What about you?"

A scowl crossed the boy's face as he answered, "I'm trying to figure out if I should help Ranma, or help kill him. I still haven't decided."

She looked over at the angry young man, saw the conflict etched into his brow, and asked, "Why do you hate Ranma so much? He thinks you were friends when you went to school together, what changed that, or was he lying about that too?"

"From his point of view we probably seemed like friends, after all he was looking for someone to push his skills, and I could do that. But his antics humiliated me in front of the entire school. That's only part of it though," explained the Lost Boy.

Akane took this in and understood how it felt. Since Ranma had arrived she had lost her status as the number one martial artist in the area. Ranma had taken her spot in the gymnastics fight, and then had beaten Kodachi with ease. Ranma had even humbled her on his first day here, walking all over her in their sparring match. Even Kuno had fallen faster to Ranma's skill.

"I know what you mean," she grumbled.

Suddenly there was a shout from the rink as Ranma declared, "Nabiki is my fiancé! You lay one disgusting lip on her and I'll KILL you!" Akane was taken back by the force of this proclamation, and by the fact that Ranma had just told the entire crowd that she and Nabiki were in a lesbian relationship. Akane tried to shove herself back into her seat to become invisible and avoid the embarrassment as murmurs started among the audience.

She watched Ranma and Nabiki make another attack on the ice, this time sweeping in from both sides as Ranma lofted into the air for a jump kick at Mikado. At the last second, the skater grabbed Ranma's leg out of the air and changed her direction so she would impact the ice. Nabiki dashed close in and caught the redhead, but it was a trap.

Azusa slid under both tumbling girls and grabbed Ranma's ankles as Mikado lifted her into the air. Sanzenin began to spin on the ice, rotating Azusa on his shoulders and dragging Ranma and Nabiki into the air with momentum alone. As they continued to spin, a strained look appeared on the demon girls face as g-forces built. Akane was about to leap out of her seat to help her sister before Ranma let go, but Ryoga stopped her.

"Ranma won't give up," he stated with certainty, "He is willing to kill for her, and he is probably willing to die for her. I saw that first hand already." Akane shot a disbelieving look at the boy, but he was focused on the battle. Ranma still held Nabiki in a death grip, and the look they shared as they spun was a mirror of confidence in each other.

Akane was rocked back as she realized that the two of them really did love each other.

Suddenly, the Kiddy Klepto lost her grip on Ranma's ankle and the two winged girls took to the air on a crash course for the retaining wall. Ranma looked ahead and locked eyes with Akane and Ryoga for a moment, then with a mighty heave she flipped around in front of Nabiki and braced herself.

Ryoga grabbed Akane and pulled her to one side as Ranma impacted against the retaining wall in front of them causing a large break in the wall as they came to a rest, Ranma sitting in the crater made by her impact, and Nabiki held gently in her arms.

Nabiki quickly recovered and checked her lover to find that Ranma was out like a light. She began to softly cry as she tried desperately to find a pulse on the redhead's neck.

"Oh my god," Akane whispered in Ryoga's arms, "He sacrificed himself."

Ryoga nodded, "As a warrior would." He released Akane, who quickly moved to lean over, placing a reassuring hand on her sister's shoulder.

"I never really told her…everything," Nabiki said quietly lowering her hand in failure from Ranma's neck. Akane could only watch in pain.

Suddenly, both girls were rocked back as Ranma sat upright. Her eyes began swirling from blue to red and back.

"That," she stated weakly, "hurt." She turned to Nabiki and asked, "Are you alright?"

Nabiki looked at the redhead in disbelief, "You just broke a quarter meter cement wall with your back, and you ask if I'm ok?" She pulled the downed demon into a hug, "Don't do that to me you jerk." Nabiki then helped Ranma up on to unstable feet as Ryoga and Akane looked on, wondering at the demon girls recuperative abilities.

Quietly Ranma whispered to Nabiki, "That burned up a lot of my reserve, I don't think I can take another hit like that." Nabiki was about to suggest standing down, but she sensed Ranma's determination to continue. Ranma stood straight, and Nabiki could almost see energy flow from her core to her limbs, healing damage.

They got ready to reenter the match, when suddenly Ryoga grabbed Ranma's shoulder over the wall, "You're too hurt. I'm taking your place." Ranma took hold of his hand, pulling it off and squeezing hard. Ryoga yanked it away as he began to feel joints pop and stared at the glowering girl.

Ranma spoke in a dangerous voice, "I'm doing this for you, Pig Boy. Just shut up and stay out of it, or I'm forfeiting and you'll be on your own." Ryoga backed up and sat down.

Akane looked confused at the venom in Ranma's eyes and asked, "What is this all about anyway? What are you doing for Ryoga?"

"Ask him yourself," growled the redhead, and took Nabiki's hand to skate away.

As they headed back to the recovering Golden Pair, Nabiki chimed in, "I can't believe you're still giving that bastard a chance to come clean on his own."

"It's his honor," Ranma stated, "He needs to clean it, not me. Are you ready for round two?"

Nabiki smiled, "Let's rock."

Back at the edge of the ice, Ryoga was silently fuming. Once again Ranma had handled him like a kid, and then all but told Akane his secret. And even after that hit the redhead was still a match for him strength wise, and she knew it. Akane was trying to ask him what this was about, but he just couldn't answer, and as he looked into her eyes, he saw the rejection that awaited him.

"Ryoga," Akane said again, "come on. Tell me what she was talking about."

He winced and replied, "I can't." With that he turned and ran from the arena, trying anything to get lost. He turned a corner and charged ahead, all but blind to those around him. As he left, a flash of blue passed him, jumping upwards for the arena's roof, but he ignored it. His pain was too great.

Back inside, Ranma and Nabiki had kept their distance, gauging the effect of the so called 'Good Bye Whirl' on the Golden Pair. Azusa, who was a little odd to begin with, seemed unaffected, but Mikado was moving more deliberately, and with greater care. They set up to attack Ranma and Nabiki again, but the other pair was quicker.

Without sharing a vocal word, they sped away from each other and moved to attack from both sides. Azusa moved to position herself so she could be used as a weapon by her partner, but their timing was too slow for the speeding figures. Ranma jumped up high, gaining lift from her wings as she passed overhead, splitting her legs wide to distract the girl obsessed Sanzenin as Nabiki delivered a telekinetically enhanced uppercut to his exposed jaw.

Ranma finished her jump, landing with both knees on Azusa's shoulders, bringing the smaller girl down. She reached out, grabbing Nabiki's hand, and they spun on the ice, trading position quickly as Ranma caught the stunned male with a high shin kick to the head when Nabiki pulled her up, and Nabiki dropped a leg across the stomach of the female half of the Golden Pair as Ranma pulled her down.

They continued their rotation to come together in each others arms, coming to a rest in the center of the ice gazing into each others eyes, the last vestiges of faint glowing fading away. Sanzenin was out cold on the ice, his eyes glossed and a tooth skidding across the rink, and Shiratori was curled up into a ball trying not to throw up on the ice.

Akane was stunned by that savage, brutal, efficient, and blinding fast finale to the match as Ranma and Nabiki were declared the winners. The two girls ignored the cheering of the crowd, and merely skated off the ice, holding each other close. She was tempted to follow them, but knew that they would probably engage in some post match perversion, and decided instead to head out and try and find the confusing Ryoga.

When she reached the main entrance, she saw him walking in a circle around a fountain, for all the world looking like a lost puppy. Her heart went out to him, hesitantly, and she figured that whatever Ranma was holding over the boy's head was unbearable. It was the only reason he would be so angry at the demon girl, but at the same time, he seemed reluctant to engage the pompous redhead in combat. Walking over, she stopped in front of him as he came around the fountain again. He looked up and saw her eyes, filled with what he thought was pity, and turned away.

"Wait," she said as she grabbed his arm, "You seem like a nice boy, and I just want to help if I can. What did Ranma do to you to get you so worked up?"

Scowling, Ryoga refused to meet the girl's eyes and growled out, "He destroys every chance for happiness I get." At Akane's questioning look he elaborated, "I was wandering through China, looking for the coward so we could finish our fight, and I stumbled across a beautiful Amazon girl. It was the first time I ever really noticed a girl, and I fell for her. Turns out that it was only Ranma, and he never knew how he played with my heart. I'll admit that chasing him to another country over a junior high feud was a little over the top, but for stealing my first love, I can never forgive him."

The Lost Boy sighed as Akane led him over to a bench where he sat with her and continued, "Now he's got all that power, and your sister seems to love the jerk. I don't know which I'm more scared of, a pissed off demon with fire spilling off her arms, or your sister and that cold look she has."

Akane couldn't help it, and giggled lightly, "I'd be more afraid of Nabiki. With Ranma you know he'll fight. With her, you never can tell what she'll do to ruin your day." Ryoga looked at the shorter girl and wondered at her. Time and time again he had seen how determined she was to plow through life, not letting anything slow her down. It was one of the points about her that drew him in. They sat together, each lost in contemplation as the sun began to set.

Back inside the arena, Ranma and Nabiki had retreated to the locker room, and contrary to what Akane had thought, they were not mid coitus. Admittedly, Ranma was undressed and lying on a bench face down with Nabiki straddling her, and granted the redhead was moaning contentedly, but it was for the backrub Nabiki was giving her lover.

Nabiki was paying special attention to the muscle structure around Ranma's wing roots. They had worked quite a bit holding in one place for most of the match, then getting slammed into that wall. She softly kneaded the tense knots out, allowing her hands to glide along Ranma's ethereally soft skin. At one point, Nabiki had to push Ranma's back in an odd manor, and a loud pop reverberated through the room as the redhead beneath her turned into jelly.

"I don't know where you learned this," the demon girl muttered happily, "but this is the second best thing I've ever felt."

Nabiki smiled and moved her hands up to Ranma's shoulders, "Kasumi taught me. She's always borrowing books from Doc Tofu, and shiatsu massage is divine. After she did this for me once, I begged her to teach me. It cost me a week of dishes and laundry, but it was worth it."

"Amen to that," sighed Ranma, "I'll have to learn this so I can do you."

The redhead let Nabiki resume her work, feeling tension from the match drain from her body. She thought about everything that had happened between the two of them since she had arrived, waterlogged and knocked out being carried by her father.

Nabiki had taken a gamble with the transgendered demon, and helped get the troubled boy through some tough times. After Kuno, Ranma had wondered if she was taking advantage of Nabiki, but as events played out Nabiki was shown to be a willing participant in the antics around the boy/girl. After today's fight, the redhead felt closer then ever to Nabiki.

Ranma's wings folded away, disappearing into her back as the girl shifted under Nabiki, rolling over to face her. Nabiki let her hands settle on top of Ranma's breasts, lightly rubbing the dark nipples, but Ranma softly took her wrists, making her stop.

"Back on the ice," Ranma started, "you were saying something, and it got me thinking. We've done so much together, shared more then most people our age do. But I want you to know something." Nabiki felt her mouth go dry as she looked into Ranma's deep blue eyes, caught up in the sincerity of their expression.

Ranma continued, reaching up and cupping Nabiki's face in her hands, "When I came here, I just wanted to get back to my wife. She and I love each other, and when I left it was crushing to me. But now I'm torn, because I feel the same about you."

"Oh, Ranma," Nabiki breathed.

The demon sat up, coming face to face with the middle Tendo sister, "I love you, Nabiki." With that, the redheaded demon gave Nabiki a deep and heartfelt kiss.

After what seemed like a heavenly forever, the kiss ended, and Nabiki continued to hold her smaller lover, "I know you love Shampoo, I can feel it burned into you, and as your friend I didn't want to take away from that, but I love you too. I have for a long time now. I just hope that Shampoo will accept me."

"She's a kind person and an honorable warrior," said Ranma, "The three of us will work something out, and I can almost see you as an Amazon." A slightly lecherous smile crossed Ranma's face as she pictured Nabiki in one of the revealing Amazon outfits. She lay back down and ran her hands along Nabiki's thighs, enjoying the sensation of the other girl perched on top of her as Nabiki resumed her massage. This time one hand worked on Ranma's side muscles, and one gently played with the opposite breast. The effect was calming and stimulating at the same time.

Nabiki smiled down at her, watching Ranma's eyes roll back as she continued. It was like a weight lifted off her shoulders now that they had told each other how they felt, and Nabiki was surprised at how good it was just to share this moment with someone. At first she was worried that Ranma was so hung up on Shampoo that there was no room for her, but the redhead continued to surprise her. Ranma was being honest when she said that she loved them both, and for the attention starved young Saotome it probably would take two girls to fill the void.

That made Nabiki pause for a heartbeat. If you added Ranma's own insecurities and need for compassion to the succubus' need for lust and sex, there was a real possibility of this spiraling out of control. Kasumi had also been affected by Ranma's demon half, and watching the two have sex earlier in the day had been arousing, and disturbing, to the young Tendo. If more were drawn in by Ranma's web of pleasure, could she handle it? Could she tolerate it? Did she even want to resist it?

Her introspection was short lived as she pushed the thoughts aside. Whatever the future held, it wouldn't be enough for to stop Nabiki Tendo. After all, she was one of the smartest people in the area, and with her abilities she had gained a measure of fighting ability to hold her own during the ice skating battle. She knew that she was still probably behind Akane as a Martial Artist, but she wasn't shooting to climb that ladder. She just wanted to be able to hold her own in Ranma's world.

Under her, Ranma squirmed as she continued to flick the demon's nipple without thinking. Ranma felt little jots of pleasure come at regular intervals, and the sensation was driving her a little nuts. She reached up and was about to grab her lover and pull her down for another lip lock when she saw Nabiki stiffen and sit upright, looking towards one of the walls of the locker room.

"Something's coming," Nabiki said quietly, "and it's pissed."

Ranma felt a tingle along her spine as her own intuition began to send her warnings. A loud crack could be heard from the wall as it bulged slightly, and Ranma pulled Nabiki down and rolled off the bench and away from the suddenly bulging wall. They rolled until Ranma was on top of Nabiki, who was concentrating on forming a crude barrier over them as the wall exploded inward. Chunks of masonry flew around them, a few bouncing off Nabiki's rudimentary shield as Ranma absorbed the rest of the impacts.

When the noise died down, Ranma sat back up, pulling Nabiki with her as she continued to roll to her feet. The two teens looked into the rapidly clearing cloud of dust, and saw a long, blue haired girl wearing a silk blouse and holding a strange mace in one hand, and a broadsword in the other.

Instantly recognition dawned on Ranma's face and a smile jumped into her eyes as she called out, "Shampoo!" Nabiki looked on at the Amazon, and felt a pang of jealousy as she saw that the gorgeous girl was truly a warrior that she could never hope to match. Nabiki hoped that Ranma wouldn't forget her with someone more compatible around.

But there was still that tingle at the back of her mind that was screaming danger.

"I'm so glad to see you Airen," Ranma said excitedly, jumping over the bench and making a bee line for the Amazon. She was about to give the Blue haired girl a glomp hug, when Shampoo thrust her mace forward.

Only Ranma's lightning reflexes saved her as she caught the mace and held it only inches from her gut. The force of the blow could have killed her had she not channeled what little energy she had left into her hands, and she looked up in shock at her Amazon wife.

The look in the other girl's eyes was pure ice.

Faster then Ranma could counter, Shampoo pulled the disoriented girl inward and hissed, "You I kill, False One."

With that, Shampoo's sword swung in, aiming for Ranma's neck.

To be continued.


	17. Two Betrayals

Author's Note: Ranma's world was dreamed up by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I'm just going to borrow them for a while to tell another story. This isn't for money, just for fun. This story also contains adult themes, like sex and violence so be warned. Then again, if you like sex and violence, come on down.

P.S.: still and always for Janice.

It was supposed to be a happy occasion. Ranma and Nabiki were just coming off a victory of the infamous Golden Pair of Martial Arts Figure Skating and the two were relaxing post match. They had spoken with an honesty of emotion that surprised them both, and admitted that the feelings they shared were more then intense friendship.

Then Ranma's Amazon wife had appeared. Granted, she destroyed a wall to meet them, but in the joy of the moment most people would forgive Ranma for reacting with happiness. The redhead had bounced her way over to Shampoo, hoping that she and Nabiki would become close. After all she didn't want to choose between the people that seemed to make life worth living.

That was when Shampoo swung her sword to take Ranma's head off.

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 17

Two Betrayals

Sparks flew, and Nabiki reeled back in pain as Shampoo's sword crashed into the telekinetic shield that the Tendo girl had used to block the strike. Nabiki felt stabbing pain in her head as she pushed what little energy she had left into the shield, protecting a stunned Ranma who was looking agape into Shampoo's bloodthirsty eyes. With everything she had left the telepathic Tendo yanked the sword out of Shampoo's grip, and it went flying to imbed itself in the wall as she fell over, completely spent. Shocked into action, Ranma vaulted back and took a defensive stance atop one of the locker room benches, heedless of the fact that she was still in the nude.

In a desperate voice Ranma called out, "What are you doing, Shampoo? I called for you, I sent a letter, and I waited. I missed you so much, and now you attack me? If this is about this girl here, I'm sorry, but I can explain."

The blue haired Amazon cut her off and growled, "I is saving girl from False One. You is demon that come to destroy, and I sent to stop you." Like the huntress that she was, Shampoo gracefully began another attack. Her mace spun a deadly pattern in front of her as she charged in, attempting to sweep the redhead's legs out from under her.

Ranma jumped up and flipped over her wife, landing a short distance behind her, and ducking just in time to avoid a backswing that was aimed at her head. Flipping away again to gain distance, she surveyed the room and saw that Nabiki was awake but unable to move.

_I have to stop this before someone, especially Shampoo or Nabiki, gets hurt, _she thought. With one foot she grabbed her discarded leotard and flipped it up over one shoulder as she backed towards the hole Shampoo had made for an entryway. Jumping past the rubble she whipped the garment down and agilely put both legs through the appropriate holes in mid air. Landing outside she quickly closed the black rose clasp around her neck and backed away from the hole.

"Come on, Shampoo," Ranma begged, "I don't want to fight you."

Shampoo stood in the opening and pointed her mace at Ranma, "Then you smarter than you look. I hunt and kill you, demon, I swear it." She was about to attack again when Ranma whipped around, tears in her eyes, and jumped into the air. Her wings shot out through the open back of her outfit, and she soared into the sky. Unable to chase an airborne demon, Shampoo returned inside to retrieve her sword, and check on the native girl the demon seemed to be attacking.

Pulling the sword from the wall, she quietly asked, "Is you alright? It not get chance to hurt you?"

Nabiki looked confused with the girl's question and answered, "Ranma would never hurt me, or you. Why are you trying to kill your husband, Shampoo?"

The Amazon answered, "Of course demon hurt us, it what demon do." She paused and then took a closer look at the girl, "Shampoo no have husband. And how you know Shampoo's name?"

"You do have a husband, and a wife. I know your name because I know them. I've felt you in them," Nabiki answered, straightening up and pulling herself to her feet. "Please hear me out."

The blue haired Amazon considered the native girl, and for a moment thought the girl was in shock. But her eyes were focused and her words were lucid. There was also a nagging familiarity to the girl with the pageboy hairstyle that was slowly working her way to the warrior girl.

"I go back to hunt soon," Shampoo said, and slowly added, "but you is…I listen."

Nabiki sat on a bench and looked up at the beautiful, but confused, Shampoo. She was decked out in Amazon battle garb, and it did little to hide her curvy form, add the cute face and innocent sounding accent, and Nabiki understood how Ranma, or any straight male, would be instantly drawn to her. Knowing that Shampoo was a wildcat in the sack only made Nabiki crave the girl more, and she wondered if Ranma was rubbing off on her.

Collecting herself, she began, "Ok, first thing you should know is that I have a few special abilities that make me different them most people." To demonstrate, she pulled a pen from her duffle bag and showed it to Shampoo, then made it hover in mid air. "This is one of my talents, and because we just finished a big fight, it's about all I can manage."

The pen dropped back into Nabiki's hand, and she saw that the Amazon was paying very close attention now, "My other talent is a little less physical."

She continued with her mental voice, _"I can also contact people's minds."_

Shampoo jumped back, surprised at the voice in her head. She saw the other girl smiling and making a calming gesture, and she waited for the strange girl to finish.

"I used my power at one point to share memories with someone close to both of us," Nabiki said wrapping up, "and that is how I know about you. I saw the village, your grandmother, even when you first met someone who loves you very much."

Shampoo shook her head, "You is wrong. Shampoo have no grandmother. Shampoo have no mate. I alone because I guard village for Chosen One, and she send Shampoo here to kill False One. I sorry demon use you, but I go to kill and avenge you." With that, the blue haired warrior gave the native girl a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder and bounded out her entry hole, "Bye bye."

Nabiki frowned as Shampoo bounded away, resuming her hunt. _There is something very wrong here,_ she thought, _she's forgotten what seems like half her life, or worse. I need to get home so Ranma and I can figure out a way to repair whatever damage she suffered._

Quickly she pulled a pair of pants and her shoes on, and started to make her way out of the building. As she exited the arena, she caught sight of Akane and Ryoga, jogging up to her.

"What's going on?" asked Ryoga.

Akane added, "We saw Ranma fly out of here like she was on fire. Did something happen?"

"Ranma's Amazon wife showed up," Nabiki answered as she continued out on to the sidewalk, "and I think she's been brainwashed."

Akane fell into step with her as she jogged towards home, "Why do you think that?"

"She didn't remember Ranma, and thought that she was some kind of threat to her village," Nabiki answered, "Now she wants to kill Ranma."

Akane was about to reply that Ranma seemed to have that affect on people, but one look at Nabiki told her that now was not the time. They continued on, finally entering the Tendo compound. Nabiki raced inside, following the faint sensation of Ranma's presence upstairs.

Akane turned to ask Ryoga if he would stay and help, but somewhere along the way to the dojo he had fallen behind, and now was nowhere in sight. She thought that the young man simply did not want to involve himself anymore with Ranma, and had returned home.

In reality, Ryoga was working his way through the offices of an Internet Service Provider somewhere in Canada. He had just walked into a room were a strange man was sitting at a desk reading 'Evil Geniuses for Dummies' while a small hairball with feet was using his computer to play Quake.

Ryoga backed out of the room and asked under his breath, "Why are all the weirdo's in Kyoto?"

Back in Nerima, Nabiki opened the door to her room to find Ranma curled up in the corner, softly crying. She quickly moved to the girl and wrapped her in a warm hug as Ranma leaned against her. After a few minutes, the redhead had calmed down somewhat and leaned back against the wall.

"She forgot about me," Ranma whispered.

"No," Nabiki countered, "I don't think so. She doesn't remember Cologne, or much else about the village, so I think something else is going on. She could have been brainwashed or something."

Ranma looked at her with a slight smirk, "Brainwashed? Isn't that a little far fetched?"

"Says the boy with the demon girl curse," Nabiki responded, giving Ranma a quick kiss.

"Point taken," the redhead admitted, flapping her wings slightly, "But what are we going to do about Shampoo? I know her, and once she sets out to do something, it's damn hard to stop her."

They spent an hour trying to plan out some way to lure Shampoo into a trap, but each plan could wind up backfiring and hurting Shampoo, or Ranma. They decided to consider it further while working on other things, to clear the head as it were. Ranma collected herself and retreated to the bathroom with a change of clothes. A few moments later he emerged as a male and joined Nabiki on her way down to dinner. The smell of take-out food drifted from the main room, and they both smiled at the thought of Kasumi trying to cook in her condition after having been drained by a succubus Ranma.

As they turned into the living room, they stopped in mid stride. Shampoo was sitting at the table, chatting lightly with Kasumi with a tied up panda resting in the corner. Slowly they began to back out of the room, sharing a silent, panicked moment. Before they could get all the way out however, Shampoo turned and faced them.

"Oh, is you," she said, noticing Nabiki, "Is this you're mate?"

"Um," Nabiki said intelligently, "Something like that."

Kasumi added, "That is her betrothed. His name is Ranma, and he is the one I was telling you about."

"_What have you been telling her," _Nabiki mentally asked her sister.

Kasumi responded slowly, still unsure of the method, _"She came in, following Genma, and wanted to know where the demon was. I asked her why, and she explained that she was sent to kill it. I told her only that if she stayed, we may be able to help her. I get the feeling there is more going on here."_

"_No kidding, Sis,"_ Nabiki responded, _"That's Ranma's Amazon wife, Shampoo. And she's been brainwashed or something because she wants to kill my favorite redhead."_

Speaking aloud, Nabiki asked, "Your village must be very proud of you to send you all this way alone. We would be honored to help you. Ranma here is an excellent warrior, and will be able to stand by you when the time comes."

"What are you doing," Ranma whispered out the corner of his mouth.

Nabiki replied in kind, "Hopefully saving both your asses."

Shampoo considered the male for a moment and turned away, "Is just stupid male thing. No use to Amazon."

Nabiki felt Ranma feel the sting of those words, and before she could stop him, he blurted out, "You never felt that way when we were back in the village. Granny said we'd have a rough time, but forgetting all about me? I thought we had a bond."

Shampoo snarled at the upset young man, but Nabiki saw a hint of confusion in her eyes and went for another approach, "We are not sure how, Shampoo, but you have been used. Someone made you forget, and sent you here to do something that would haunt you for all time. We don't want to see you hurt, ever."

"Why strange girl care," Shampoo asked.

Nabiki kneeled next to her, and took one of her hands, "Because Ranma cares." With that she reached up and stroked the side of Shampoo's head. _I hope this works,_ she thought, and dove into the Amazon's mind.

The first thing she noticed was how hard it was. Shampoo was not expecting the attack, but barriers were up all throughout her mind, impeding Nabiki's way. She also noticed how quiet it was, as if she was walking through a graveyard. There was no jumble of memories, no flashes of other people, no strong emotional bonds at all. There was only an overpowering command, obey and destroy.

Nabiki suddenly realized that the barriers were blocking off all the noise she had been expecting. Every memory, every feeling, had been suppressed and hidden away somehow. She stopped probing deeper, and focused on the resistance from one block. It was strong, no doubt, but she felt a little give in the structure of the mental wall. As she felt her way along its edge, she found where it had the most leeway, and there she stopped.

What she found there almost made her retreat from Shampoo's mind that instant. It was an image of what was to be, an image of Ranma dying by Shampoo's hand. When the image came to pass, the block would dissolve and the Amazon's feelings for the cursed demon would reemerge.

Nabiki scrambled around, trying desperately to figure out how to undo the barrier, change the trigger, or erase the command to kill Ranma, but her own distress and expended energy soon caused her to start slipping from Shampoo's mind. With one last desperate mental thrust, she planted a single feeling of warmth and love in the manipulated girl's mind.

Nabiki released Shampoo and began to fall backwards, but Ranma was there in an instant and gently caught her as she drifted off to sleep. Looking up into Shampoo's eyes, he tried to find some hint, some spark that Nabiki's last second attempt had succeeded. For a second, he saw a flash of recognition, and then a wall slammed over her features.

Quickly Shampoo stood, pulling out her weapons as she did and stared down at Ranma as he held Nabiki.

"What she do," the Amazon asked angrily.

Ranma stood, holding the sleeping psychic and answered, "She was trying to help you. That's all we want to do, not to stop you, or try and get in your way. We just want you to be alright."

Shampoo backed away from him as conflicting sensations crashed over her. There was sincerity, and deep loss in his voice that almost broke her heart, but she also felt animosity towards him. It wasn't the usual dislike of males that was drilled into her, but there was something deeper, as if she really did know him. It ate at her mind as she watched him check the girl in his arms, and there was a flash of jealousy for a moment. She continued a cautious retreat away from these strange people, and the feelings they produced, and Ranma took notice.

"Please," he said, almost begging. Before he could continue, Shampoo had reached the opening to the back yard, and leapt through, disappearing into the night. As she faded away, she could almost hear Ranma whisper, "Airen."

Running for all she was worth, Shampoo clutched the side of her head as a pain washed over her. Soon she had to stop, taking a respite in an abandoned lot several blocks away from the Tendo compound. She began to breathe heavily as a whirlwind of images fought to clear themselves in her mind. Dreams from the last week swarmed into her mind, images of companions that she could not make out and feelings of closeness that she longed to remember. As her mission and her memories fought for dominance, she was left crumpled in a heap in the middle of the lot. Suddenly her body quaked and she let out a soul tearing scream that echoed into the night.

That very instant, back at the Tendo house, Nabiki woke to echo Shampoo's cry. She managed to grab onto Ranma's arm as he held her tight and gasped out, "You have to go, and you have to stop her. She's so messed up that it may kill her, even if she does kill you. You have to…" Nabiki passed out again, anguish in her features.

Ranma collected the spent girl, and looked up at Kasumi, "I'm going to put her in bed. Can you watch her for me?"

"Of course," the eldest Tendo daughter answered and followed him upstairs. The brown haired girl was tucked carefully into bed, and Ranma kissed her lightly in her sleep. Standing straight, he turned and began to walk out of the room.

"Wait," Kasumi asked, "Where are you going?"

Ranma pushed emotion from his face and said, "After Shampoo. I have to try and shake her out of this mind control, and I have to do it soon. If what Nabiki said is true, then she is being destroyed from the inside, and I won't let that happen." With that he sprinted down the hall and ducked into the bathroom. He stopped in front of the sink and filled a glass with cold water.

"Well buddy," he said to his reflection in the mirror, "it's put up or shut up time, and everything is at stake. Do you think you can pull this off?"

"What are you doing, boy," a low growl came from behind him as Genma entered the room.

Ranma turned and answered, "Something you'll never understand. I'm taking care of my problems. Now either get out of my way, or I'll make you." With that he dumped the water over his head, transforming to demon form and allowing her wings to unfold through the hidden slits in the back of her red vest.

Genma stood, blocking the door and barked, "That Chinese bimbo is no concern of yours. You are honor bound to marry Nabiki, and it seems that you are forgetting your honor in favor of cavorting with that foreign floozy."

Ranma lunged for her father, but the fight with the Golden Pair and pursuit by Shampoo earlier in the day had taken their toll and her reflexes were a beat too slow as Genma whipped out a pair of prayer strips and slapped one onto Ranma's forehead, and the other on her chest. Ranma froze, visibly struggling against the spiritual assault, but weakening by the moment. As the redhead collapsed, Genma scooped her up, tossing her over one shoulder and heading back down the hall.

As he started down the stairs, Kasumi poked her head out of Nabiki's room and saw Ranma being carried away. Quickly she pulled her head back in and turned to Nabiki.

_I can't risk waking her in the condition she's in;_ Kasumi thought to herself, _I have to come up with something else if Genma is going to do something drastic._

Genma, meanwhile, had begun a short trek to a shrine not far from the Tendo compound. He was met at the gate by an old man who guided him to one of the interior rooms where he placed the restrained demon girl on a mat.

"It's as I told you," Genma began, "My son is possessed by a demonic force, and it is powerful enough to change his appearance. Cold water releases her, and thankfully hot water can temporarily restore my son."

The old priest considered the girl before him, taking note of her very real wings, and said, "It is a difficult case you bring me, exorcism of the demon could be challenging to even the most skilled of spiritualists." Genma reached into his gi and retrieved a small fold of money that was quietly handed over to the priest who smiled and nodded. "Fortunately, I am very skilled. Help me bind her."

The two men went to work, tying Ranma down by binding her arms, legs, and wings to the floor. Prayer strips were placed at each of her vital points and around her to augment the two Genma had used and finally a chalk circle was drawn around the bound redhead.

As the old priest finished his work, he motioned Genma back and the elder Saotome retreated with a grim smile on his face, assured of victory over his son. Simple chanting began as candles were lit at the cardinal points of the circle, and as the last was set to flame Ranma jerked awake with a scream of pain.

The redhead felt painful fire course through her limbs as she fought against physical and spiritual bindings. As Ranma thrashed, she caught sight of her father's satisfied smirk. Desperately she fought to summon some, any, hellfire to her hand and burn down Genma, but the drain was too great, and she felt her arms begin to go numb as life itself began to leave her.

_I failed,_ she cried in her mind, _Shampoo, Nabiki, I failed them. And now my own father is going to kill me._ She felt a final darkness begin to descend, and she could almost recognize Death come to claim her, but a rhythmic pounding drew her attention.

Behind Genma, the shrine wall burst in as Akane and Kodachi stormed in. Genma was moving to block the two girls, but Kodachi's ribbon was already snapping tight around his neck as Akane leapt past. The gymnast pulled tight, almost drawing blood from the man's neck, and as Genma gasped, she launched a cloud of black dust directly into his face as she released her hold. Genma reflexively inhaled as his airway opened and caught the full force of the potion, falling to the ground paralyzed.

Akane was not standing still as the martial artist fell, charging in, pulling her large mallet from a small backpack and revving it to full swing, catching the priest under the chin as he was pulling a small silver knife from his robe. The old man flew back into the wall and slumped down, unconscious. She spun around again and made sure that no other threats were present as Kodachi moved to check the struggling demon girl.

"Quickly, Tendo," Kodachi said, "She seems to be in great pain."

Akane moved up and knelt next to the redhead, "Kasumi sent us. She saw that rat drag you off and figured he was up to no good." She quickly began to help the leotard clad Kodachi to undo the rope bindings holding the girl down, but this only increased the thrashing.

Ranma managed to hiss out, "Wards…hurting…."

Kodachi pulled the prayer strip off Ranma's left wrist, and the bound demon let out another scream of pain as it was removed. Akane looked and had to turn away from the sight of burned flesh that was under the paper. With tears in their eyes at the agony Ranma was enduring, the two teens slowly managed to pull away each of the offending parchment strips, wincing as Ranma whimpered in pain with each removal.

"She never reacted like this before," Akane said, remembering the times Genma had used similar strips to immobilize the cursed boy. Kodachi focused on her work, but caught herself lingering on Ranma's wings.

Quietly she asked Akane, "Lady Ranma…she is not human, is she?"

"She's a monster," Akane told her, "but for some reason my sister wants the freak. After everything that's happened, I can't go against her anymore."

Kodachi smiled weakly as she pulled away the last strip, "There is love between Lady Ranma and Nabiki, of that I have no doubt."

"Whatever," groused Akane as she began to undo the ropes holding Ranma down, "You, the perv and my sisters can have a wonderful time together, I just don't want to let Kasumi down after everything she's done for us."

As the last of the bindings came off, the two girls began to check Ranma over. The redhead was barely breathing as they gently lifted her off the floor and onto one of the nearby benches that lined the hall.

"The damage is too great, but I am hesitant to take her to a hospital," Kodachi mused, as she used the undone bindings to secure Genma as he lay paralyzed.

Akane nodded, feeling for Ranma's faint pulse, "We can take her to Doctor Tofu. Kasumi said he knows about Ranma's…condition…he may be able to help her." The two rescuers quickly lifted Ranma up and out of the shrine and moved into the night towards the clinic.

When they arrived, they made Ranma as comfortable as they could on the waiting room couch and Akane ducked into the living area at the back of the building to rouse Tofu. The doctor took one look at Ranma, and gathered her up to place her in a bed, quickly swabbing the burnt skin with ointments and creams in silence.

Finally he asked, "What happened?"

"Genma had Ranma at some shrine, and they had her tied up for a ritual of some sort," Akane told him, "We stopped it, but she was like this when we pulled the prayer strips off."

"I think it was some sort of exorcism," Kodachi added. "Will Lady Ranma be all right?"

Tofu stood and opened a large book that was resting on the counter, "I did a little research for Ranma when she first told me about her condition. As long as she has a source of energy, she should be able to heal herself easily. These wounds should have been gone by now…"

"She just came from two...or three fights, counting her father's attack," Akane told him.

The doctor nodded, "Normally a succubus would save enough energy to deal with things like that, but knowing Ranma she wouldn't feed unless absolutely necessary. She has been deliberately starving herself to death for a while now I would guess, just to keep from harming anyone."

"Better…then…becoming…monster…"

They turned to see Ranma's eyes flutter open and the girl shudder with pain.

"Perhaps," Tofu told her, sitting down beside her, "but you are pushing your body past its limits. A demon doesn't work like we do. You don't sleep and eat the same way, you need the energy you draw to live."

Ranma insisted, "Still…human…."

"Your soul is," Tofu answered, "and anyone can see you are not a monster because of your strength and willpower. But no matter how strong your spirit is, your body has different limits. You are a very mortal demon my young friend."

"What can be done for her," Kodachi asked. She had held back, absorbing all that happened and coming to grips with the otherworldly nature of the girl she had been defeated by, and come to respect. She knew many legends about demons, both Eastern and Western thanks to her catholic school upbringing, but Ranma seemed not to fit the mold for the manipulative, soul eating monsters the nuns warned of.

Doctor Tofu coughed into his hand and said, "I think it would be best for Nabiki to handle Ranma's needs right now."

"She can't," said Akane, "Nabiki is out cold. Kasumi said it had to do with Ranma's Amazon wife."

Tofu nodded again, "Shampoo. Ranma told me about the Amazons when I first helped her. The way Ranma spoke, I didn't think there was a problem with her."

"Mind...control," Ranma said from the bed, "Nabiki…tried to…break it."

Tofu sighed, "A succubus demon is a creature of intimate pleasure. We need to wait for Nabiki to recover."

Akane wandered over to the examination room's small sink and asked, "Couldn't we just turn Ranma back to normal, then he would heal like everyone else." Kodachi wondered at this strange question, but the doctor spoke before she could ask about it.

"Absolutely not," he answered Akane, "those burns are spiritually based right now, and the only thing keeping her alive is her paranormal nature. If we changed her, they would become very physical. Burns of this magnitude would send a normal person into shock and in Ranma's weakened condition that could very well kill her."

_There is yet another secret that Lady Ranma has, _thought Kodachi, but spoke aloud, "Then perhaps it is best if I tend to my lady." She walked over to Ranma's bedside and looked into the half-dead girl's eyes, "Take what you need from me, I am willing."

"I'll leave then," Tofu said, hiding a blush and heading out, "Be careful miss. Ranma has a strong will, but the demon in her is in need, and could kill you if you give too much." Akane was about to follow him out with a disturbed look on her face, but Kodachi stopped her.

She held Akane's arm and said, "We stand a better chance of saving your sister's beloved if you help me, Akane Tendo."

"What," Akane blurted out, "You want me to have sex with that…that…THING?!"

Kodachi slapped the surprised girl and spoke low, "Keep your head about you, girl. We are talking about the life of Nabiki's love, Lady Kasumi's student, and the only girl to stick up for you when the rest of your team hid like cowards. She was not honor bound to take your place, but she did. As I understand it, she also risked her life on the ice for your pet, and you still feel no gratitude towards her? It is a small thing to give energy to one who needs it, the matter of it's retrieval in this case is irrelevant."

"But…she's…"

"Is your difficulty that she is not human," Kodachi asked, "or is it that she seeks not the company of men?"

"Boys are perverts," Akane responded automatically then continued, "and girls don't do that kind of thing."

Kodachi smirked, "I do. Lady Ranma does. Even your sisters have shared their bed with women. Is it so abhorrent to share compassion and love for each other? Or is it that you have no love to give?"

"Stop it!!"

Both girls turned to see Ranma had managed to turn her head to look at them, and the redhead continued in a weak voice, "She…has her own…stuff to…work…out…Kodachi. You can't...put all this…on her. She doesn't…deserve to be…yelled at."

Akane gaped at the redhead as she gasped for air. Even in the state she was in, Ranma was still trying to do the right thing, and Akane knew it. Between her counseling and the events of the last day, she was beginning to see what Ranma was doing, forcing her own nature down to protect those around him.

_Just as he promised Kasumi on the day he showed up,_ she thought to herself.

"I am sorry Akane," Kodachi said, "Ranma is right, and I should not have been berating you. I have just found myself becoming more concerned for those around me ever since I discovered what it meant to have people that care."

Akane nodded, "I'm sorry as well. Nabiki has been telling me for weeks to grow up, and I guess that this is just another sign I should." She stepped over to Ranma and said, "I'll give a little energy if it will help." The redhead gave a questioning look, and Akane nodded.

Ranma sighed and whispered, "Kiss me."

Akane hesitantly leaned over the demon girl and puckered her lips. Slowly she lowered herself until she brushed Ranma's. At first she felt little more then the presence of another set of lips on her own, but there was a slight tingle that was growing along her spine, pushing her to deepen the kiss. When she felt Ranma's tongue brush the outside of lips, she felt almost obliged to open them slightly, sharing her mouth with the invading appendage.

A light, heady sensation washed over her as Ranma probed the inside of her mouth. The tingle began to spread across her body as warmth filled her in areas she had never really thought about before. Akane found herself returning the kiss with surprising enjoyment, and its sudden end drew a low moan from her as Ranma pulled away. Akane opened her eyes and saw that light had begun to return to Ranma's own, and the dark burnt patches of skin were slowly turning pink.

"I won't take any more form you today," Ranma told Akane, "but I thank you for what you gave." Akane nodded dumbly, unable to speak as she found her mouth uncomfortably empty. She stumbled back and sat in a nearby chair as her head began to spin from the intensity of feelings flowing through her. She glanced up along the wall and saw the clock, and did a double take as ten minutes had passed without her notice.

_That was some kiss, _she thought. _Is that what it's like for Nabiki?_

Meanwhile, Ranma had turned to Kodachi, "You know what I'm asking. Are you really willing?"

"Yes, my Lady," Kodachi breathed. The passion from Akane's simple kiss had driven her to distraction, and her nipples were clearly visible through her spandex outfit as she took Akane's place at Ranma's side. The redhead reached up and undid the neck fastener, allowing the gymnast to shrug the leotard down to her waist and with another tug it was down her long legs and on the floor.

Ranma looked over the Kuno beauty. Though her bust line was smaller than Ranma's, they were well formed, and their cleavage accentuated the gymnast's delicate neck and slender face well. Her stomach was almost perfectly flat, but showed a hint of definition from the rigors of Kodachi's combat style on her athletic frame. Her legs started at small feet and traveled smoothly, and for some distance, up to meet at a clean shaven juncture.

Kodachi was the aggressor, to be sure. With nimble hands she undressed the demon girl, and then those same hands slid across soft skin. Her long legs gave her the ability to easily climb on to the bed, and then to move atop the wounded redhead. The gymnast did little to worry about foreplay; she knew that now was not the time. Instead she body pressed against her Princess as she sought out Ranma's hungry mouth.

Kisses and embraces were only the beginning as Kodachi began to feel the tug of lust from Ranma. It only took moments to shift positions, but soon she allowed herself to fully embrace the desire that flowed through her. With every pant she let out, she could feel the redhead's strength returning and soon dominance began to shift form gymnast to demoness.

Akane could hardly breathe as she watched the spectacle before her. As Kodachi and Ranma gave in to what seemed an animalistic frenzy, she felt the tightness under her shirt, and a warm pressure between her legs. Intellectually, she knew thanks to her therapist, that she was becoming aroused. But she didn't truly understand the sensation, so all she could do was watch in amazement as her hands fidgeted on the armrests of her chair, almost kneading the padding.

_Is it Ranma's power, _she asked herself, _or do I like girls after all? Or could it just be this…perversion itself is turning me on._ Akane sat there, trapped by doubt.

Kodachi had no doubt, however. Ranma was now able to move freely and with vigor, and the gymnast found herself once more in wonder at this small girl's ability to madden her. She felt a spike of raw, sexual power drive into her mind, and knew that she could hold off no longer.

Akane saw Kodachi stiffen, and Ranma give the girl another kiss that lingered on for what seemed like an eternity. For a second she thought she saw a light passing from the gymnast into Ranma, and guessed that it was the energy the demon needed. Soon the kiss ended, and Ranma shifted position to lower Kodachi onto the bed as she stood. Akane lost all moisture in her mouth as Ranma turned to her.

Ranma stood, whole once more, sweating from the coupling and dripping something that was not sweat from between her legs onto the floor. Her wings were spread wide, and eyes flickering between a bright blue and a deep red as the succubus seemed to calm somewhat. Akane shivered at her first true look at the demon, a pure expression of lust and passion, and the Tendo girl experienced her first, small orgasm as Ranma locked eyes with her.

"Are you going to be alright, Akane," Ranma spoke softly. Her voice cut through the fog in Akane's mind and allowed the girl to focus for a second. She reached down and retrieved her pack, weakly handing it to Ranma.

"Ka…Kasumi…um…said you may want this…if you were going to …continue your hunt," she said in a small voice, forcing herself not to look at the nude, glistening sex idol in front of her.

Ranma took the pack, careful not to touch Akane in her current state and opened it slightly, seeing it was full of black leather. She smiled briefly and turned away from the quivering girl.

"I have to go after Shampoo," she told Akane, "Nabiki said her life is also on the line, and you know I can't turn away from that." She pulled out her garments and began donning them, continuing, "I need you to stay here and make sure Kodachi is alright. I know you're shook up, but we all have to help those in need." She pulled her panties on and began doing up the corset over her sensitive chest.

Akane nodded behind her, still looking away, "It's the duty of a martial artist to protect those who need help."

Ranma nodded as well, and sat to pull on her long boots, "And I know you are a martial artist who is beginning to really understand that now." Ranma stood again and pulled on her elbow length gloves, tugging them each to make sure they were secure. She turned to Akane and added the final piece, her leather choker that Kasumi had added a small rose colored stud to. Reaching into the bag once more, she pulled out Kasumi's final addition to Ranma's ensemble, a coiled leather whip that Ranma held loosely, getting a feel for its balance.

Akane looked up at the sight and shivered. Here was base animal lust, and behind it cold death for the demon's enemies. Akane found herself frightened as the blue and red glows flashing in Ranma's eyes settled into a steady, cold purple that held fire and ice.

Ranma coiled the whip up again, looping it firmly across her shoulder and chest as she turned to the room's simple window and slid it open.

"Good luck," Akane managed to say behind her.

"Thanks Akane," Ranma said quietly, and with a jump, and a flap of her wings, the redhead disappeared into the cool night air. Outside, she gave her wings a mighty heave, and gained altitude as her eyes searched the surrounding area for any sign of her…prey.

To be continued.


	18. Red vs Blue

Author's Note: Ranma's world was dreamed up by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I'm just going to borrow them for a while to tell another story. This isn't for money, just for fun. This story also contains adult themes, like sex and violence so be warned. Then again, if you like sex and violence, come on down.

P.S.: still and always for Janice.

Once again, Genma's plans for early retirement were foiled. He sat, paralyzed by Kodachi Kuno's poison, and contemplated where his plan went wrong. It seemed to him that Ranma had always gone out of his way to avoid serving Genma hand and foot, as was his duty as the heir to the Saotome School. He had fought against Genma's conditioning, resisted training, and every time it looked like Genma was close to breaking the boy, some woman would step in and undo all his work.

Then those damn cursed springs happened.

Ranma now had ready access to more power then Genma could handle without catching her off guard or in a weakened state, which was hard to do. And when he had finally caught Ranma in such a condition, once more females jumped in and ruined his plan. All because his former training partner couldn't raise his daughters to be proper, passive tools like he was supposed to.

Now his only hope was that Ranma would be injured enough to slow him down in their upcoming fight. Then Genma could unload all the frustration he had endured during the boy's training in to the beating of a lifetime, once and for all showing his son his place in life.

Genma was confident in his ability to show up his son, and then those girls would have to fall in line once their father was reminded what it meant to be a man. From there, Genma would live in the lap of luxury while his son earned a living for them both. In the end, all would acknowledge Genma Saotome as the greatest martial arts master of all time.

Now if only the damn potion would wear off.

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 18

Red vs. Blue

Ranma soared through the night, searching for any sign of the wayward Amazon, Shampoo. She stayed away from the bright lights of the downtown area and glided over parks, vacant lots, and the forested area on the edge of town. She searched anywhere that a mountain warrior would seek refuge in by instinct.

She had little to go on, as the only thing she could really do is look for the distinctive blue hair of the warrior girl as the trail had gone cold while she was taken by her father. It was yet another reason that a festering hate had begun developing towards the man, and Ranma was beginning to look forward to the fight with Genma in only two days.

Hovering in mid-air, Ranma cursed her inability to find her own wife as the night dragged on. As long as Shampoo was under the effects of mind control, both Ranma and the Amazon were in danger, but the redhead had no way to find her mate.

Slowly she began circling, allowing wind currents to carry her along the edge of the town. Closing her eyes, Ranma focused inward, hoping against hope that there was still some link, some resonance from Nabiki's mental attack on Shampoo that she would be able to sense. As she drifted, the wind changed and a faint hint of lavender was picked up by Ranma off to her right. It was a smell very familiar to her, the smell from Shampoo as they held each other close in bed.

Opening her eyes and turning into the wind, Ranma swooped down into the woods along a river bank, sweeping after the dispersing scent of her loved one. For an instant, Ranma saw a campfire flash in the corner of her eye and banked around to check it for any other sign of life. She was rewarded with a momentary image of the blue hair of a girl curled up in a ball near the warmth and light of the fire, huddled against the night, and her own inner demons.

Slowing and circling in low, Ranma picked a spot on the edge of the clearing and softly landed, hoping to catch the Amazon unaware, but Shampoo rolled to her feet the moment the leather clad demon touched down.

Brandishing her sword, Shampoo addressed her visitor, "You have come to die, yes?"

"No," Ranma answered, "I came here to live, and to make sure you live. Nabiki felt your pain, and here and now, I can feel it as well. Let me help you, please."

Shampoo shifted into a combat stance, and Ranma hesitated. Locking gazes with her wife, Ranma saw the conflict of determination and tears in her eyes as Shampoo spared no more words, lunging for the demon with murderous intent. Spinning away from a series of horizontal cuts, Ranma tried to gain distance form the Amazon, but Shampoo was just as agile. The blue fury pressed her initial advantage, leaping into the air and spinning to deliver a roundhouse kick that Ranma barely blocked.

Reeling back on her heels, Ranma used her wings to balance herself as she pulled her whip, a gift from Kasumi, off her shoulder and let it uncoil with a sharp crack in Shampoo's direction.

"I don't want to fight you, Airen," Ranma yelled, taking to the air and hovering a short distance away.

"Then stand still and die," Shampoo countered and leapt up into the trees. The Amazon used a series of branches as springboards to gain altitude on the flying demon girl, and jumped across her path. With a mighty slash of her sword, she aimed to take Ranma's head off, but the redhead closed her wings and fell away from the blow.

Letting her whip strike out as her wings reopened, Ranma struck at the branch Shampoo was about to land on, loosening it from its tree when the girl landed. Shampoo's footing became unsure, and she was forced into the air again as the limb gave way, jumping right into the path of a follow up strike of Ranma's whip that struck her sword hand. Stunned, Shampoo let the steel blade fall to the earth below and she was forced to rebound off another tree to pursue it down.

Ranma dove after her, closing her wings to gain speed and pass the startled girl and land hard on the ground first. The demon spun around and retrieved the Chinese broadsword and pitched it into the woods as far as she could heave, then continued the spin to lash out with her whip at the ground where Shampoo was landing.

With lightning reflexes, Shampoo jumped again, feeling the sting of a near miss on her leg as she back flipped away towards her supply pack and drew two maces from her equipment. Reversing her direction she brought the maces together, attempting to crush the winged girl between them, but the redhead faded back, gliding along the ground.

Ranma drew the attacking warrior in, and closed her wings around her, then at the last second flung them wide to reveal a murderous snap kick that ended with her spike heel less then a centimeter away from Shampoo's exposed neck.

Wide eyed, Shampoo took a stumbling step back and watched as the redhead held that pose. A sense of deja vu washed over her, and the image of the leather clad demon was for an instant replaced by a scuffed up redhead with wings standing in a tattered gi on a log. Shampoo made out the confident blue eyes that grinned at the promise of competition against a worthy opponent.

The moment was only made more surreal when Ranma declared, "Shampoo of the Amazons, I challenge you."

Shampoo shook her head to clear it and resumed a fighting stance, "I accept."

Ranma lowered her leg and slid into a sideways stance, hiding her whip hand from Shampoo's view as they started to slowly circle each other, looking for any opening to exploit.

"You remember, don't you," Ranma asked, "We met in combat. Your grandmother brought me to the village and the Elders made us fight." Shampoo gave her reply by throwing a mace at Ranma's head. The succubus cracked her whip, sending the missile off course and ducked under Shampoo's following swing with her remaining club.

Shampoo changed the course of her attack, sending the mace back up to catch Ranma under the chin, but the demon flipped away, and lashed out again in mid air to tangle the end of her whip with the handle of Shampoo's weapon. As the redhead landed, the two girls entered into a tug of war, each of them seeking leverage.

Ranma continued, "You were strong and fierce, and only luck allowed me to knock you off the challenge log. After, you were going to give me the Kiss of Death, but I turned into it, and you gave a sign of marriage instead." Ranma had to back away again after that as Shampoo released her mace and charged the off balance girl.

Ranma leapt high, and was met by Shampoo in mid sir as they exchanged a quick series of punches. Both girls landed back on the ground at the same time and spun around, blocking each other's high kicks in a mirror of each other.

"Demon lie," Shampoo stated, "No have grandmother. Leave village on order of Chosen One to hunt you. Now I finish job." Shampoo reversed her spin and swept low, kicking out at Ranma's leather boots to knock the other girl over. As Ranma landed on her backside, Shampoo jumped up to deliver a massive stomp to Ranma's midsection.

The demon girl managed a fast roll to dodge, but found herself on the defensive as Shampoo unleashed a series of kicks and stomps that kept her on the ground, scrambling to avoid the attacks. As Shampoo delivered yet another stomp, this time to Ranma's head, the redhead caught it with both hands.

"Your grandmother is named Cologne. And she is the Matriarch of our tribe," Ranma yelled as she spun the trapped leg, flinging Shampoo to one side to land on her back. Both girls kicked up and charged each other again, and Ranma continued, "Think about the legend. The Chosen One was a protector, not a killer. She was taken by the hands she had saved."

"Shampoo knows legend," the Amazon growled as her punch was blocked by the redhead, "Is duty of clan to watch for return of Lost One who become Chosen One. Is great honor."

Ranma leapt back, flying to the other side of the clearing and landed with an open stance, "Then if you remember that it was Amazon hands that took her life, and you really want to let fate repeat itself, I can do nothing more."

Shampoo watched as Ranma closed her eyes and spread her arms wide. With a flick of her wrist, a small knife slid out of the sleeve of her dress and into her hand. She made no attempt to hide her movement, but the redhead demon refused to respond. Shampoo's head spun as she regarded this perfect opportunity to finish her mission, but a claw gripped her heart and made her pause.

The flashes of other times and places, the strong words spoken by the mind-walker at the demon's house, even the twinge of sadness she felt whenever she made contact with this girl during their fight.

Goddesses help her, what if this Ranma was right?

NO! The mission was what was all important. It was all that mattered. The image of the Chosen One filled her mind, telling her to finish this helpless outsider, but there was that buzzing sense of wrongness still at the back of her mind.

In the end, Shampoo had no choice but to charge, blade out and aiming for Ranma's heart. She ran the distance between her and Ranma in only a moment, and she recognized that this attack would end in the death of her opponent. Inside her, everything screamed that there was no honor in this death. That killing an unarmed and unresisting foe would only bring disgrace. But the command remained, finish the mission.

Right before she made contact, Ranma opened her glowing blue eyes and shed a single tear.

Shampoo's world was yanked out from under her as her knife penetrated Ranma's leather bodice.

"NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!"

Shampoo remembered.

Ranma appearing in her village with her grandmother.

Their battle on the challenge log.

Their first night together.

Enema's return and Ranma's suicidal fight with the transformed Elder.

Ranma's departure with her father.

Enema using the forbidden techniques of mind erasure to trick her into killing the true Chosen One.

Her husband.

Her wife.

"That really hurts, you know."

Shampoo looked up to see Ranma still standing, looking down at Shampoo's knife dangling from her corset. Shampoo sprang back up and checked the blade. It had entered the side of the garment instead of the center, only grazing Ranma.

Quickly, the relieved Amazon pulled the knife out and tossed it away, practically ripping off Ranma's leather top to check the wound. There was only a light cut that was bleeding below Ranma's armpit only a few millimeters deep, and Shampoo began to cry in relief.

"I guess you beat the programming after all. Wouldn't you say, Airen," Ranma asked, and found herself wrapped in a crushing hug. "Air! Need air," she gasped out, and Shampoo let her hug slacken slightly as she locked wet eyes with her long forgotten mate.

"How," the crying girl asked.

Ranma wrapped her arms around the girl and allowed her wings to follow suit, "At the last second your aim drifted. As you were running over, I saw panic filling your eyes. I think you couldn't let yourself kill me, so you pressed and broke the hold over you."

Shampoo shook in her lover's arms as she realized how close she had come to ending Ranma's life. She didn't care how close it was, Shampoo was simply relived that her love stood before her, mostly unharmed. Straightening up, she found that with heels on, Ranma stood eye to eye with her, and made it very easy to kiss the demon.

Ranma accepted the kiss from her wife, taking only enough energy to heal her side and simply enjoying the contact after that. The two girls stood together in the clearing holding each other close and sharing that kiss of a long time as they poured their hearts into the moment of reunion.

Shampoo finally leaned back, breaking the kiss, and spoke, "Airen, Enema used forbidden techniques on me. She wants revenge against village, and you, so she trap me."

Ranma nodded, "She failed, and that's all that's important."

"But if I no come back with your head, she could come here," Shampoo said, "And she still very good hunter."

Ranma sighed, "We have to deal with her at some point, but for now I'm just glad you're all right." She let go of the Amazon and wiped her eyes dry, "We should go back to the house. Nabiki was worried about you as well."

"That mind-walker that help Shampoo," the blue haired girl asked.

Ranma nodded and said, "She is my fiancée here in Japan. Since I got here, she's helped me through a lot."

Shampoo sighed and placed her head on Ranma's shoulder, "I wish I was here for that." Ranma gave the girl a reassuring squeeze and let her arms drop away. Bending down, she retrieved her damaged corset from where Shampoo had dropped it and examined the hole the knife had left.

"Nabiki is gonna kill me," Ranma groused, "This thing cost her a lot of money." She began putting the garment back on, but stopped when Shampoo took it from her and began the process herself.

"Is strange clothing for warrior," Shampoo said as she redid the clasps along Ranma's front, "But it look too too sexy on you. This Nabiki buy for you? She have warrior's taste." The blue haired girl leaned forward and lightly kissed Ranma's still exposed nipple before closing the corset fully and finishing with the clasps.

"What say we go introduce you to her properly," Ranma said, gathering Shampoo into her arms once more. Spreading her wings and giving a mighty flap, Ranma once more took to the air. Shampoo allowed herself to be cradled in her lover's arms as they sped into the slowly lightening sky back towards the residential area of town.

Shampoo looked down in wonder as the world passed below her. The first signs of life were starting to appear in the houses below as Shampoo saw early morning deliverymen and early rising housewives begin their day. Looking up, she saw her beloved's face, smiling brightly as she concentrated on her flying. The first rays of daylight caught in her hair making it blaze bright red as the duo began a slow decent.

Landing softly, Shampoo once more found herself in the Tendo compound, this time holding the girl she loved. Slowly she looked around again, not as a hunter looking for prey, but as someone looking for signs of a loved one where they lived. A practice post with distinctive damage from the Chestnut Fist, a small divot in the ground about the size of Ranma's head, a small scrap of red cloth caught in the high branches of a tree.

Turning back towards the house, Shampoo found her gaze drawn to a figure standing on the porch. It had short brown hair that was mussed from sleep, and wore a simple robe. But it was the expression of relief on the girl's face that drew Shampoo in. She met the girl during her previous visit, but where she knew the girl from was her dreams.

Slowly she walked up and took the girl's offered hand and whispered, "You is Nabiki. I know you."

"And I know you, thanks to Ranma's memories," Nabiki added. The two girls smiled at each other, and drew each other into a hug. The three teens sat down in the living room, and Shampoo told them of her abduction and manipulation at the hands of Enema. Then Nabiki told Shampoo of the events that had occurred since Ranma's arrival in Nerima.

Shampoo found the stories amusing, especially the unusual battles that Ranma had been drawn into. As she listened, she also found genuine caring in Nabiki's voice. The Tendo girl had obviously grown to respect and love the often confused demon girl, a sentiment that Shampoo readily understood. As for Nabiki, she found herself easily captivated by the charm and beauty of the Chinese girl sitting across from her. The cute accent hid a warrior's keen mind, and Shampoo was able to pick up on subtle elements of Ranma's story. As dawn began in earnest, Nabiki and Shampoo found that their close ties to Ranma enabled them to become closer as well.

They were suddenly interrupted in their conversation by a loud snoring coming from one corner of the room. Both turned to see a sleeping Ranma leaning against the wall, her leather clad legs spread wide, and her wings folded around her as a make shift blanket. Both girls giggled lightly as Ranma snored away, each moving to one side of the sleeping redhead and lightly kissing the girl on each cheek.

"I very happy Airen find person who care about him," Shampoo told Nabiki as they moved to sit leaning against either side of Ranma, "But I see you is not warrior like us. You say you fight with Airen, but it not what you do. Shampoo is worried about potential co-wife if real dangers come."

"I know I'm not a fighter like you and Ranma," Nabiki replied, "but not all battles are won with fists. My mind is my weapon, and I don't just mean my powers. I've been using my smarts to keep my family out of debt for years now. It's not as direct as the way you fight, but it gets the job done."

Shampoo took the other girl's hand and gave it a squeeze, "That how you help Shampoo. You use power to remind Shampoo of love, and that gave strength to break evil spell. You smart to remember that love is most powerful." The Amazon leaned across Ranma and gave Nabiki a light kiss on the lips. Nabiki sensed the friendship Shampoo was offering, and accepted it happily.

"I guess I measure up then," Nabiki said with a smile.

Shampoo grinned back and answered, "For now. But to be wife to an Amazon legend you must be an Amazon yourself. I give you trials to see if you worthy, but those come later." With that, Shampoo settled back against Ranma again and placed her head on the sleeping demon's shoulder. Nabiki considered what the warrior girl told her, and hoped that Shampoo wasn't expecting her to become a warrior champion or anything like that. As she lay her head against Ranma's other shoulder, Nabiki couldn't help but worry that their battle was only going to get more difficult, and she hoped that she wouldn't get left behind. Within moments the three tired girls were together in sleep, cuddled up to each other as Ranma shifted her wings to accommodate her two loves.

As they slept, Soun Tendo wandered into the living room, coffee mug in hand. He was looking for Genma for their morning game of go, but stopped when he saw the three girls asleep in the corner. For a moment he froze, torn between conflicting emotions. His daughter had obviously become close to Ranma, and that was a good thing, but there was a stranger sharing the intimate closeness that was reserved for betrothed couple.

He was about to wake Ranma and have the transformed boy explain the compromising position, when she shifted slightly allowing Soun to see under her wings for a moment. The fact that Ranma was wearing an outfit that would normally be reserved for a strip club wasn't the thing that did him in, nor was the fact that Nabiki's robe was half open exposing one breast. It wasn't even that Nabiki and the stranger had their hands clasped, fingers intertwined. It was the fact that their interwoven hands were slid into the leather thong panties that Ranma currently wore.

Soun fell backwards, a spray of blood shooting out his nose and his mug flying through the air to land in Ranma's face. The transformation was instant and woke the now male Saotome as his body mass increased and shifted. Ranma now found that the leather had very little give in it, and his breathing was being cut off by the corset. There was also the fact that his sexual organs had suddenly turned outside in, and while finding his member held comfortably by two soft hands, the thong he wore was not large enough by far to accommodate said hands and genitalia.

Ranma leapt to his feet to try and undress quickly to alleviate his problems, waking Nabiki and Shampoo. The girls watched in amazement as the pigtailed martial artist as his now larger feet struggled to maintain balance in high heels, and failed miserably. The compressed young man fell flat on his face as the girls erupted in laughter.

"Ouch," he managed weakly as the girls continued to laugh. He managed to roll on his back and undo the clasps holding the corset in place, granting him a measure of air and relief, but as he began working the too tight thong off Akane walked into the room.

She stared at the squirming boy, pulling a leather thong off his penis in front of two hysterical girls, and entered a mental loop.

_He's a pervert, perverts must die. He's the one who wore that last night as a girl. Girls can't be perverts. My sister is half naked with another girl smiling at an almost nude boy. My sister is a pervert. Girls can't be perverts, boys are perverts. He's a pervert; perverts must die…_and so on. Since she could find no logical recourse she chose a nice comfortable spot next to her father and passed the hell out.

Ranma finally shucked off the last of the constrictive garments and stood panting for air after the frantic scramble. He looked back at the comatose Tendos on the floor and covered himself quickly, which only led to renewed snickers from Shampoo and Nabiki as he accidentally slapped his privates in the rush to cover up. Wincing, he turned to glare at the giggling girls, and almost began laughing himself as they both stuck their tongues out at him.

A few blocks away at Furinkan High, the mood was decidedly more serious as Tatewaki Kuno met with a small, pale student in the kendo club room.

"And what have you to report about my lovely pigtailed goddess," the swordsman asked the sickly looking young man.

"With respect," the student answered, "you may be mistaken in her nature. It is true that she seems to have unusual abilities, but I think she may not be benevolent in nature." He pulled a folder of pictures out of his book bag and handed them to the upperclassmen, "As you claimed, Ranma Saotome seems to have some connection with her, and it seems that Nabiki Tendo is involved as well."

"Yes," Kuno said, "The vile sorcerer always appears to thwart my attempts to free the pigtailed girl. But to think he has corrupted yet another of the noble house of Tendo, how repulsive."

The pale boy coughed into his hand, "Yes, of course. The pigtailed girl may in fact be a siren or some similar mythical creature that Saotome bound to himself. If you plan to free her, you will have to be extra careful and plan accordingly. No matter how strong he is, every man has a weak spot." Kuno nodded at this wisdom, and the young man, Hikaru Gosuinkugi by name, knew that he had the deluded swordsman, hook, line, and sinker.

Hikaru knew Ranma's secret and had no intent on sharing the information with the love sick Kuno. Just over a week ago, he had set up a camera in the changing room for the Furinkan team at the much anticipated Rhythmic Gymnastics match. His original intent was to get a picture of his secret crush, Akane Tendo, in her gymnastics leotard, but the change in combatant at the last second had proved to be just as interesting to Hikaru.

One of the pictures he did not show Kuno was of the redhead making love to Nabiki Tendo in the shower, with a pair of leather bat-like wings on her back. Gosuinkugi knew that he had stumbled on one of the most dangerous, and desirable of finds. He had discovered a succubus demon.

Fortunately, the paranormal was Hikaru's greatest hobby.

He had spent the next few days monitoring the activities of Nabiki and the redhead, and had quickly discovered it's transformation into the talk of the school, Ranma Saotome. Now he was no fool, and knew that Ranma was out of his league if a confrontation were to arise, but the possibility of capturing and maybe even controlling a succubus was too great a draw for the pale young occultist. Hence he was enlisting the aid of a delusional stooge to distract Ranma while the important work of capturing the demon was carried out.

Now all Gosuinkugi had to deal with was the school's junior mobster, Nabiki Tendo. But that plan was only in its initial stages. He had to tread carefully with her as she was one of the smarter people in school, not only as a student, but she also understood how to grasp a situation and turn it to her advantage.

In the end, Hikaru was far more worried about her.

"So," Kuno addressed the pensive student, "You will aid me by providing Ranma Saotome's weakness and allowing me to free the pigtailed girl from his grasp. Once I have proven my righteousness with this feat, the tigress Akane Tendo will no doubt also seek to be my consort. My question is this, however. What boon do you seek from our arrangement?"

Hikaru smiled lightly, noting that Kuno was not a total idiot and replied, "I have a passing interest in the mystic arts. Ranma obviously has considerable power to enslave a creature such as your redheaded siren, and I believe that that power can be used for the betterment of all. All I ask is the opportunity to examine Ranma after you have defeated him. If I can gleam the source of his power, he will never be able to threaten fair maidens again."

"Agreed," Kuno said, and shook the sickly looking hand of Gosuinkugi. With the deal sealed, Hikaru left the easily manipulated upperclassman to his meditations and headed home to conduct further research. After all, to have the power of a sex demon at his fingertips, figuratively and literally speaking, he would need to be well prepared.

Hikaru tossed his head back and indulged in a moment of evil laughter.

Too bad he was not well suited to it and wound up with more of a wheezing giggle.

Back at the Tendo house, Ranma had managed to run upstairs and get dressed in his normal black pants and red shirt, much to the disappointment of his wife and fiancée who were enjoying the view as he ran buck naked up the stairs. The three of them were settling down with the rest of the household, including a recovered Soun and Akane for breakfast, and explaining the nights exploits.

"So you are saying that this Enema person used a forbidden technique to erase any memory of Ranma," Soun asked, taking a sip from his refilled coffee. He noticed that Ranma was still eyeing the cup warily, and placed it on the table to ease the boy somewhat.

Shampoo nodded, "Exile is very good at mind changing, always has been. It one of many reasons she and Grandmother has been enemies for so long."

"Throw in the fact that she has tried to kill me three times now, and she's not on my favorite people list," Ranma added. He put a reassuring hand on Shampoo's shoulders, "Once she figures out that Shampoo hasn't killed me she probably try something else."

Kasumi finished passing out plates and asked, "Is it likely that she will come here looking for you then?"

"No," Shampoo said, "She is bound in the old ways and believes that to leave the village is a sin. That is why exile is such a great punishment for her. If she can, she will send another to find my fate here while she plans to break her exile and seize power in the village once again. I am saddened by this, but I must return and warn my grandmother, if it is not already too late."

"And I'll go with you," Ranma said.

Soun slapped a hand down on the table, "I realize you feel a responsibility towards these Amazons, but you also have a responsibility here. What of your fiancée? Do you plan on leaving her alone while you gallivant across China?"

"Of course he won't, Daddy," Nabiki said, "because I'm going too."

"What," Akane almost yelled, "Why? Why are you going with this…person, and…Ranma to some foreign country when they are going to fight some nut that can mess with people's minds?"

Nabiki smirked, "It's called love, little sister. Shampoo and Ranma are both Amazon warriors, and to stand as an equal with them I have to prove myself as well. Before you, or you Daddy, go on a rant about how I'm not a fighter, I know that perfectly well. What you need to understand is that I fight differently then any of you, and for this fight I think I'm going to be needed. Besides, I'm not about to let Shampoo and Ranma have all the fun in this relationship."

A flustered Soun mumbled, "I'm still having trouble with the idea that my girl is in such a relationship to begin with."

Quietly, Shampoo spoke to Nabiki, "You have great potential. Maybe you be good sister after all."

"Count on it, Airen," Ranma added, "She's as sharp as Granny, and with the two of us training her, she'll be just as tough. The three of us together are gonna be invincible."

"Get real," Akane scoffed, "How are the three of you going to get to China, let alone find some nut that is out to kill you. You're all nuts."

Nabiki smirked, "You just don't get it, and you may never unless you get off your high horse. I can plan, Shampoo can track, and Ranma can fight. We work as a team. That's something you've never been able to do."

Scowling, Akane stood and turned her back on them, "Fine, get yourself killed for all I care." She stormed off to her room as the rest of the household stared after her. After she had gotten in her room and slammed the door she threw herself on her bed and gazed blankly at the ceiling.

_Why cant I understand,_ she thought to herself, _the three of them are so close, and so comfortable with each other. Can't I feel that way with anyone?_ She touched her fingers to her lips where only hours ago Ranma had kissed her, and drained a portion of her life energy away. She remembered the tingle of the demon's kiss and was conflicted. Akane felt revulsion at the action and at the same time longing to feel the sensual bliss she had touched for only a moment. She remembered the look on Kodachi's face as she carried the girl home last night; it was a smile of exhausted bliss.

_Do I even want to feel that way,_ she asked herself, fearing the answer.

Back downstairs, plans were being made. Nabiki had assured everyone that getting into China would not be difficult, though she was reluctant to explain herself. Shampoo and Ranma knew that way to the village, but how to get there quickly was becoming a problem.

"I can't really fly us all there," Ranma was saying, "I think one person is my limit."

Nabiki shook her head, "We can take a train. You outdoors types never really embraced modern times, did you? Why do you have this need to walk everywhere?"

"Even if we use train, it still long hike to village," Shampoo added, "Maybe two or three days."

Kasumi nodded, "You will have to make sure you have enough fresh water and food in case there are delays. You should also plan out what clothing you will take. The weather in a mountain region is likely to change fast."

"Nice nice Kasumi right. Can be cold one day and hot the next," Shampoo confirmed.

"I still think this is a little rash," Soun tried to intervene, but the looks he got from the teenagers around the table gave him pause, "Then again…"

"Tendo is right!"

Ranma's light smile dropped as he turned to see the bulk of his father framed in the outside doorway.

Genma continued, "I see that I was right about you, boy. You are running away at the first opportunity, forgetting your honor."

"This is all about honor, old man. And it's about responsibility, something you've never had," Ranma said as he stood and faced his father.

"Is that so," the older Saotome asked, "Have you forgotten that your fate is still undecided? Do you forfeit our match so easily? If you do, then by our terms, I forbid you from this fools journey and order you to send this little girl home where she belongs."

Shampoo leapt up, getting ready to beat down this man who dared to give her an order, but Ranma laid a hand on her shoulder, stopping her.

He sighed, "The rat is right. We have to wait a few days. We have a fight tomorrow, and if I win, he can never boss me around again." Ranma turned back to his father and added, "You'll have your fight, old man. Just remember the deal, when I win you and Mister Tendo grant me Master's status. I already have the papers drawn up, waiting for your seals."

Soun looked at the battle of wills between his friend and his friend's son and asked, "What is this about a match? And for a master's title no less. Why haven't you told me of this Saotome?"

"Nothing to worry about Tendo," Genma scoffed, "The boy thinks he can defeat me without using his cursed powers. Once I've put him in his place you won't have to worry about these heathen ways corrupting your daughter, or the cursed demon taking her life. Ranma has sworn on his honor to obey me like a proper son should."

Ranma continued to hold back Shampoo, but the Amazon girl hissed out, "Ranma more of a man then you ever be, I know he beat you. Grandmother is right that you fat scheming fool who twists all he touch. Best you to sleep lightly."

Genma flinched at the venom in the girl's voice, and was about to strike her when he felt a light pressure against his throat and a voice echoed in his mind, _"Ranma may be patient with you, but you know I am not." _He looked around and locked eyes with Nabiki. _"Ranma told me about his little deal with you and you can be sure that if you back out…well it will be hard to enjoy retirement with your mind turned into tapioca."_

With that, she broke contact with the now perspiring Genma and stood to give her reassurances to Shampoo that Ranma would be victorious. For a moment the Saotome patriarch thought about calling Nabiki's bluff, but tightness at his throat persuaded him that she was serious with her threat.

As plans were made for the journey, another set of eyes watched the goings on in the Tendo house.

Enema's fist came down in the small pool of water she had used to scry on her pawn, dispelling the image of the teenagers gathering against her.

"So Shampoo somehow broke my hold," the girl-bat spoke quietly in the dark cave she now used as her home. "Now my plan begins to gather speed. It would have been nice if Shampoo had killed her little demon slut, or better yet the other way around. But now they will all come to me, and I will get what I truly want."

With a low chuckle, she swept out of the cave to begin the hunt for the ingredients she would need. Soon, all the power of the Amazons would be hers.

To be continued.


	19. Price of Freedom

Author's Note: Ranma's world was dreamed up by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I'm just going to borrow them for a while to tell another story. This isn't for money, just for fun. This story also contains adult themes, like sex and violence so be warned. Then again, if you like sex and violence, come on down.

P.S.: still and always for Janice.

Genma stood in the dojo, alone and pensive. He was in the middle of planning for the upcoming fight in the morning against Ranma, and the odds were stacked against him. The boy's Amazon training had increased his speed threefold, and he still hit like a ton of bricks, and Genma knew he was at the disadvantage.

Genma believed that he still had the boy outclassed in pure skill, but it was a narrow thing, he had trained the boy too well and the challenges that Ranma had faced since coming to Nerima only helped the boy fight outside the box even more. While Genma could be proud that the Saotome School was evolving into a truly formidable art, he found himself only angry that it was slipping out of his control.

The wager with Ranma was a gamble, and one he was not really willing to take, but he knew that if push came to shove he wouldn't last ten seconds against a pissed off demon, psychic, and Amazon warrior. The odds were definitely against him there.

There was also the fact that his old friend, Soun, was beginning to question Genma's judgment. The Tendo patriarch had begun to side with his ill behaved daughters, caring more for their happiness then the art, as evidenced by the fact that he had stopped teaching years ago.

It all went to prove Genma's philosophy that females created weakness.

As for his fight with his son, Genma realized that the boy would fight with a certain style, a style that Genma could take advantage of. The boy believed so strongly in his honor that he always faced his problems with a stubborn determination that battered through opposition. Ranma's idea of honor was his weakness.

After all, Anything Goes was based on the idea of cheating.

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 19

Price of Freedom

Ranma lay in bed, rested after a morning of sleep and comfortable with Shampoo on one side and Nabiki on the other. He was amazed at how exhausted he had gotten over the last day and had still managed to make it through. It was a close thing, he knew, and the thought of losing either of the girls snuggled against him caused a shiver of fear to pass through his body.

_And here you are, leading them into danger; _he berated himself, thinking about the upcoming trip to China.

He pushed the gloomy thoughts aside as he felt Nabiki shift against him. The three teens had retreated to Nabiki's room, and even if Ranma and Shampoo just wanted more rest, they had decided to sleep in the nude in anticipation of what was to come. Ranma had never been more embarrassed then when he had pulled down his paints in front of the tired, but amorous girls. But when they had both stripped naked in front of him, he had found it difficult not to evidence his arousal. Now, a few hours of sleep later, Ranma once more found himself once more aroused by the forms of the loves of his life.

He looked down to see Nabiki with her eye's open, looking back up at him. Tilting his head slightly, he kissed her deeply as she caressed his bare chest and arched her back slightly, pressing her breasts into his well muscled side.

"Good morning," he whispered to her after the kiss.

Nabiki smirked and answered, "That's good afternoon, sleepyhead. Feeling better?"

"Much," he said, rubbing his hand along her back as she slid up eye to eye with him. He was about to ask her a question, when she raised one finger to his lips and silenced him.

With an evil grin, she slid a hand down and for a moment lightly teased him. She then leaned over the smiling young man and ran her hand along Shampoo's side. In response, Shampoo rolled slightly, turning away from the slightly ticklish sensation and lying on her back, snuggling close to Ranma again in her new position.

The brunette smiled and dragged herself sensually across Ranma, much to the young man's pleasure. Once in a better position, Nabiki shifted her feather touches to the Amazon girl snuggled close to Ranma, eliciting a series of soft and welcoming noises from the sleeping girl. Ranma soon found himself joining her actions with his free hand, finally able to touch his Amazon wife once again.

Slowly Shampoo woke, a small gasp escaping her. Looking at the two people that lay with her, she smiled. Lifting her head she captured Nabiki's lips, and gave them a warm, wet good morning. During that, Ranma let his own lips grace her neck, and when Nabiki broke her kiss Ranma took her place on Shampoo's eager lips.

"Is too too good way to wake up," Shampoo said breathlessly as she trailed a hand down Ranma's form, joining Nabiki's where the girl was straddled over the grinning male. The two girls kissed again, and Ranma was left dry mouthed at the heat and intensity given off by his two loves.

Finally the kiss ended, and Nabiki and Shampoo shared a dreamy look with each other, then Nabiki spoke up, "I have to say that you are as good a kisser as Ranma remembers. I really liked that."

"Shampoo like to," the Blue haired girl replied, "You kiss almost as good as Ranma-wife. Maybe she teach you?"

Nabiki smirked at Ranma, "A little, but Ranma has neglected other, more husbandly duties." She leaned down and whispered into Shampoo's ear, and the Amazon giggled at what she heard. Nodding, Shampoo whispered something back to Nabiki, and gave her a light lick on the earlobe.

Nabiki slid off Ranma and all the way onto Shampoo, and the two girls once more shared a long, wet kiss. Then Nabiki rolled off the warrior girl, letting Shampoo sit up as she crawled around her back, planting kisses along her shoulders.

Shampoo turned to face Ranma, sliding her hand along his torso and up to cup his face, "Nabiki say you no do duty with her, and before that you never do duty with Shampoo. We know you scared at time, but time up. Shampoo and Nabiki take what rightfully theirs now." She lifted one leg up and starched it over Ranma, moving to straddle the blushing boy as Nabiki slid up alongside him.

"Husband needs to make choice," Shampoo said, brushing against him lightly, "We been together many times now, but never as wife and husband. Then you come here, and Nabiki fall in love with you too. Still you hold back. Now Shampoo here, Nabiki here, and we both agree you enough for both of us. Do you agree? Do you want?"

Ranma began to sweat as he waged an internal war with the sensations crawling along his spine. As a demon he had felt the hunger of a succubus craving sex. Several times she had been tempted to give into the hunger, and several times she had given in completely. Now a similar hunger was working its way along his genitals. The sensation was very different, and it created a light headed sensation that he knew he could not overcome.

He managed to get out, "I want this so bad…"

Shampoo took him. In an instant Ranma understood what them meant, and realized that when his demon form had taken the girls it had been on one level similar to this. It was wild, unrestrained, and he felt unabashedly drained by it.

Shampoo on the other hand unleashed all the pent up sexual frustration she had been forced to endure ever since her beloved had left China to come to this new land. After it was done she felt a relief wash over her that was intoxicating.

Sharing a smile with Nabiki, she said, "That worth wait. He not bad."

"I just hope he has enough in him for me," Nabiki smirked.

"He is right here you know," Ranma groaned, slowly lifting his head up to look at the two girls, "That…was intense. Problem is, I also feel like I just ran a hundred miles, and my groin is a little numb."

Shampoo and Nabiki laughed at this and the Amazon added, "All men supposed to have problem like that. No can keep up with women in bed."

"Just give the poor boy a few minutes, Shampoo. Then I get to break him in," Nabiki said, giving Ranma a kiss on the cheek.

The girls took that time to become acquainted themselves, and Nabiki found that the amorous Amazon was easily equal to Ranma in her lovemaking skills. With deft touches and light kisses, both girls were mutually entranced as Ranma watched on.

When his stamina was restored he made sure that the girls knew it, and Nabiki soon found herself under him, ready for what she had wanted for some time. But even in their aroused state it still made her feel good when he asked her permission before beginning.

For her it was a careful and slow start, but like Shampoo she wanted more as it progressed, and Ranma was more then willing to provide.

When she felt his release, Nabiki wondered at the filling sensation and let her own mental barriers down, feeding the pleasure she was feeling back into Ranma, and through contact with him, Shampoo. The three of them loudly moaned in unison as Nabiki shuddered with her own orgasm, and soon the teens were once more lying on the bed, cuddled together and exhausted.

"Usually after something like that I feel like a million yen," Ranma panted, "I still feel really good, but I don't think I can move now."

Nabiki smirked as Shampoo helped her from under Ranma's mass, "Now you know how one of us feels after feeding time." She leaned against the Amazon, resting her head lightly on Shampoo's large chest.

"Not that Shampoo want to do cartwheels at moment," the warrior girl replied, giving a tired laugh. She held Nabiki and continued, "Nabiki is fierce in bed, that good for Amazon trainee. Shampoo hope you make good warrior woman, hate to lose bedmate like you, good for tag team on male."

"I feel so used," Ranma said sarcastically, and the girls laughed with him and the three held on to each other, sharing in the glow.

Dinner that night was much more awkward. As Kasumi served the meal, which Shampoo complimented as superior cooking; Akane only stared down at her plate as Mister Tendo picked at his food with a worried expression. Genma did not even join them, which Ranma took immediate notice of.

Before he could ask, however, Soun told him, "Your father is still out in the dojo, readying himself for the match tomorrow. He has been in deep meditation all afternoon."

Ranma grunted, taking up his rice and commenting, "He's probably scheming to try and embarrass me tomorrow."

"I don't think you are taking this seriously, son," Soun snapped.

"I'm being dead serious," Ranma answered, "Look Mister Tendo; you've done pretty well by your daughters. Sure, the edges are rough, but Kasumi is a more kind soul then I have ever met, and Akane is as tough as they come." Akane blinked at the off handed compliment, but still refused to look up from her plate.

Ranma continued, "As for Nabiki, she's one of the most important people in my life, and one of two who really understand me. In my opinion, you're ok. But my father…I've been dragged across the globe against my will, abused in ways I refuse to describe at this table, and had my manhood…and almost my humanity, ripped away from me by his ideas for training. He's a thief, a liar, and worse, so trust me when I say that I'm going to be ready for every dirty trick he can come up with."

Ranma took a deep breath and looked the Tendo patriarch in the eye, "Where will you stand when his plans hit the fan?"

The three Tendo sisters looked surprised at the challenging tone of Ranma's voice, and Shampoo seemed nonplussed by the sudden tension in the air and continued to eat. Soun met Ranma's determined gaze, and in the boy's eyes he could almost make out the small light of someone looking for an anchor in a storm.

With more strength in his voice then he had in a long time, Soun answered, "I stand as the referee of the match, and my judgment will be based solely on the actions of the competitors. I will follow what honor demands, which is something I think you understand."

Ranma hid a smile, and bowed formally to the older man, "Thank you sir. And I apologize if I was out of line."

"Think nothing of it, my boy," Soun answered. He thought, _I'm glad the boy is willing to stand up for what he believes in. I see Nabiki's influence in that. Maybe this unusual union will turn out for the best._ He looked over and saw Shampoo and Nabiki sharing a quick kiss as the warrior girl got up to help Kasumi, and added, _Then again, maybe not._

It was not until the next morning that Soun saw just how serious Ranma was. The boy came down for a small breakfast wearing a plain white gi. Ranma was silent as he ate, and Nabiki and Shampoo gave him distance. As Ranma finished and moved out to the porch to clear his mind, Akane pulled Nabiki aside.

"I've been thinking," she started, "about what you've been trying to tell me for the last few weeks." Nabiki silently nodded for Akane to continue, "I'm going to keep going to see that doctor friend of Dad's because…well, I'm beginning to see that there is more around me then I realized."

Nabiki nodded, "That's good, sis. It's a sign you're starting to grow up. Does this have anything to do with what happened after you rescued Ranma?"

"He told you," Akane asked weakly, and Nabiki nodded in return. Akane shook her head, "He could have…well, you know…and I don't know if I would have stopped him…er…her. Then there is this whole winning his freedom thing, I kind of understand where he's coming from." She took a breath, "Don't get me wrong, I still think he's a creep and a pervert…but I'm willing to put up with the jerk if it makes you happy."

Nabiki looked honestly surprised, and gave Akane a sisterly hug of thanks.

"What about Shampoo," she asked.

Akane smirked, "Bad enough that Ranma's better then I am, now this top-heavy bubblehead Amazon strolls in and you're both making google eyes at her. I'm barely tolerating my sister dating a cross-dressing nut; don't expect me to be at all happy about this."

Outside, Shampoo stepped in front of Ranma, and he opened his eyes to see her.

She held a stern look on her face and addressed him, "You no forget you Amazon warrior."

Ranma simply answered, "No."

"Then you fight with all your heart and soul," Shampoo asked, and waited for Ranma to nod, "Then goddesses always watch over you. You strong and fierce and I know you win. Remember you are Amazon, and never forget that pride."

With that, she stepped back, allowing Ranma to stand. The Tendo sisters came out of the house and Nabiki gave him a small nod and smile of encouragement. He returned it and acknowledged Kasumi's warm smile at him as well. When Akane gave him thumbs up and a half hearted smile, he didn't really know how to respond, so he simply returned the gesture, then walked to the dojo.

"Is he ready," Nabiki asked Shampoo quietly as the girls fell in behind him.

Shampoo considered it for a moment and, finding the right words, she answered, "He kick ass."

Inside the dojo, Genma sat in a meditative pose facing the far wall. The girls lined in and sat beside Soun who had taken up position as the master of the training hall, and judge of the match. He acknowledged each of them and turned to face Ranma, who had taken a seat facing away from his father on the near side of the dojo.

At an unspoken signal, both Saotomes stood, facing each other. Slowly they bowed, and with a smart half turn faced Soun and bowed again. Facing each other again they locked eyes, each engaging the other in a test of wills, trying to look for any lack of resolve.

From his position, Soun spoke, "Victory will be by knockout or submission. You will break if I signal, and as always, there are no restrictions on technique, save that no lethal blows may be used." Both men nodded silently. Soun slowly raised a hand, and with a sharp movement brought it down, barking, "BEGIN!"

Ranma braced himself as Genma charged in with a middle kick using Tae Kwan Do. Ranma spun with the impact and countered with Te, rolling along his father's extended leg to deliver a backhand strike that Genma countered with a Jujitsu wrist hold. Ranma pushed his father's leg down with his free hand and fired a Li-Chia palm strike to Genma's upper arm, freeing his caught hand.

The two combatants were a blur of motion that only Soun and Shampoo seemed to be able to follow. Akane drowned out her surroundings entirely and focused on the interwoven moves of Ranma and Genma. She saw flashes of Aikido blocks, Ch'in-Na holds, and Fu-Chao-Pai strikes. Dozens of differing forms few by, and both men seemed to be able to flow them together into a chaotic dance.

When Ranma and Genma suddenly jumped away from each other, she found that she had been holding her breath at the sight of two warriors so far above her in skill.

"Take note, Akane," Soun said quietly while not turning away from the battle, "The essence of our style is to be versatile, and able to adapt to any style. They have only begun; after all, the true mark of a master of our school is the ability to improvise."

This time, it was Ranma who charged, sliding in to kick Genma's ankles, but the older man was already airborne. Ranma rolled, spun on his back, and kicked out, catching his father as he landed on the back of the legs. Genma stumbled forward and spun on one foot as his son kicked up, catching the boy in the chest with a roundhouse kick before rolling away to regain his feet.

Ranma clutched his chest from the impact and was caught off guard as Genma broke into his defense and delivered a two fingered strike to his right shoulder. Pain shot across Ranma, but he managed to deflect a second strike to the left side, but he already felt numbness spreading along his right arm.

Jumping, Ranma avoided a snap kick, and using Genma's extended leg as leverage, he spun himself forward to kick at his father's head. Genma had already dropped his kick however and widened his stance slightly, allowing him to easily duck Ranma's attack. Flipping over the larger man, Ranma shot a series of left hand punches, followed by a stomp at Genma's foot in his wide stance, but the crafty old man got out of the way and caught Ranma's foot under his own.

Twisting around, Ranma planted his other foot inside Genma's stance and the two fighters locked wrists in a close grapple. Ranma used his pinned foot as an anchor, and levered forward, tipping Genma off balance and spilling them both on the floor. Ranma flipped over Genma again, landing on his feet as his father shot his arms out, grabbing Ranma by the ankles.

The experienced fighter pulled hard, and Ranma found his footing once more yanked out from under him. Extending his arms, he landed on his open palms with a loud smack and pulled out of Genma's grip.

The combatants once more rolled to their feet, and Genma pulled a small lump out from his gi and lashed out with a swipe, crushing it in his hand and sending a cloud of dust into Ranma's eyes. Instantly, Ranma closed his eyes, but not before some of the dust got in, sending fire under his eyelids. Jumping back, he executed a defensive sweep kick to give himself room as he tried to blink his eyes open.

A line of pain was suddenly stitched across his back as Genma closed in and raked him with a claw strike. On the sidelines, Shampoo saw a glint of metal in Genma's hand and was about to jump in, but suddenly a loud voice echoed in her head.

"_Don't."_

She looked over and saw that Nabiki's face was a portrait of worry, but the middle Tendo daughter managed, _"Ranma doesn't want our help. I already tried when Genma blinded him, but he slammed his mind closed to me. If you jump in and save him now, I don't think he'll ever forgive you."_

Shampoo fought down her impulse and turned to Soun, "Fat man use blade, you no disqualify?"

Soun continued watching the match, and in a low voice that hid all emotion he answered, "Battle is often unfair. I can not disqualify Genma for that because it is a lesson that Ranma should already have learned."

Meanwhile, Ranma had blindly spun, but luckily made contact with his father's hand as he was closing for another attack, knocking a small razor out of his hand. Then Ranma executed a blinding fast attack, landing fifty left hand punches on his father in only a few seconds and forcing him back, giving the young man breathing room.

Ranma shook his right arm, trying to restore feeling while keeping the watery blur that was his father in sight. Judging by the sensations, he knew his father had missed a crippling blow by less then a centimeter, and soon his arm would return to normal. He also judged that his eyesight was not going to recover before the end of this match, and closed his eyes to let the tears slowly wash away the dust. Instead, he focused on what he could hear.

_He's pulling out every dirty trick, _Ranma thought, _I have to try and anticipate what he'll do next. I have to think like him._ He suddenly heard a slight rustle behind him and spun to deliver an elbow to the side of Genma's head as the older man snuck up behind him preparing to place a choke hold on the young fighter.

Ranma then jumped up and spun, kicking Genma against crossed arms and sending him back several paces. Ranma then dropped low, forcing his breathing down and trying to find his father once more.

From against the wall, Genma watched his son take a wide stance that offered the best defense from all multiple attack angles, the boy's head swiveling back and forth, searching for any sound. Slowly, the elder Saotome worked his way so that he was in front of the seated girls, and deliberately stomped his foot.

Ranma leaped into action, launching a fist right at Genma, but the older man ducked and rolled out of the way, leaving Ranma's fist on a collision course with Shampoo.

Before she could speak however, Ranma smelled the whiff of lavender coming from her hair, halted his attack and lashed out with a side kick that caught the returning Genma under the chin, making him fly across the room. Giving Shampoo a quick smile, Ranma spun and jumped after his father.

Genma rolled with his landing, doing a handstand and meeting his son's double kick with his own. Their feet made contact, and for a moment they both hung in mid air. Ranma was about to jump away, but Genma shifted and launched the boy upwards. Flipping quickly, Genma charged in before his son could land and delivered a powerful haymaker that sent Ranma flying through the open dojo door.

With a loud splash, Ranma landed in the Tendo's koi pond and instantly switched to his succubus form. Genma stopped at the doorway; leaving room for the other's to see out and gained a broad grin.

"You have lost, boy," Genma stated clearly, "Our wager was that you not use your powers, and you let yourself transform." As Ranma was climbing out of the pool sputtering, Genma dashed in, slapping a large ward on her and bringing her down with a fast arm lock. "Now call the winner Tendo, and the boy will have to do what we tell him."

Nabiki looked at her father, searching for any sign of this betrayal, but Soun was completely impassive. Slowly Soun stood and walked out to the courtyard, kneeling in front of the downed demoness.

Quietly he spoke, "I never agreed to this condition of the match. The rules are still anything goes." Genma looked at his friend in shock, and received neutral look in return, "As I said, the winner is judged by knock out or submission. Ranma is still awake, and it doesn't look like she wants to give up. If you insist, I will allow Ranma to resume his male form and continue the match, but I will not call the match on your say so alone. I have pride in this dojo, and will not tolerate an heir that gives in to adversity." With that, Soun walked back to the dojo steps and sat, resuming the position of referee.

Suddenly, hot water was splashed onto Genma and Ranma, triggering the younger Saotome's change and making Genma jump, breaking his hold. The bald martial artist looked up to see Kasumi holding a tea kettle. She gave him a small smile and then looked down at Ranma.

"Tear him in half, would you," she politely asked the boy.

Ranma slowly stood with a confident smirk on his face and turned to face Genma, who was still on his ass, "I've actually got to thank you Pop. Throwing me in the water helped me get that crap out of my eyes. Now what do you say we take it up a notch." With a flourish, Ranma resumed a fighting stance, this time very aggressive in a style that Genma did not recognize.

"Amazon Wu-Shu, with my grandmother's stance," Shampoo told the Tendos when Akane gave a questioning look to her father.

Genma rolled up and fired off an angry punch that Ranma batted out of the way and the pigtailed boy was suddenly inside Genma's defense. Clawing his fist, Ranma delivered a blur of raking blows across his father's chest. Stepping back slightly, the young man then flipped the sleeves of his gi top and curled his hands inside. With what seemed like slow movements, he swung his arms back and forth in front of Genma, slow enough for the older man to block. But with every pass, a massive impact was heard and Genma staggered back.

Flipping his hands into sight again, Ranma then launched a blurring Amaguriken attack into Genma's stomach, followed by ducking down and executing a thunderous jumping uppercut to his father's jaw.

As Genma was launched into the air, Ranma leapt up after him. Meeting the Saotome elder in mid air, Ranma whipped a powerful ax kick and sent Genma crashing back down to the ground. Following closely, Ranma landed on top of his father, dragging both the man's arms back and planting his foot at the base of Genma's spine. Pulling hard, Ranma was rewarded with a cry of pain as he put more pressure on Genma's shoulders and back.

"You old, fat, stubborn, selfish, bigoted, idiotic, piece of crap," Ranma yelled, emphasizing with a tug at every insult, "Time and time again, you've embarrassed me, abused me, and almost gotten me killed. For once in your worthless life, take responsibility for you fucking actions." As if to add to his point, Ranma began to turn Genma's arms, adding a torque pressure to the already overextended shoulder joints.

With a sickening pop, both arms became slack in Ranma's grip as Genma let lose with another long yell of pain. Ranma still held them, ignoring Genma's cries and waited for the old man to yield, knowing that it would take some time to reach to stubborn man.

He was shaken out of his rage by Soun placing a hand on his shoulder, tugging him away and yelling, "Enough! Stop it now!" Ranma looked up, somewhat dazed, and guessed by Soun's expression that he had been yelling for some time. Shaking his head, Ranma dropped Genma's arms and fell to his knees, suddenly short on air. He found that he was being supported by Nabiki and Shampoo, holding him upright as his body started shaking at the exertion, and the realization that for a moment he wanted to kill his father back there.

After checking Genma, Soun stood and turned to Ranma, "You've won. Genma passed out shortly after you dislocated both arms." He waved Kasumi over, who was carrying a first aid kit, and began to tend to his fallen friend.

Akane also walked over to the scene, and gave Ranma a weak smile, "Remind me to never really piss you off, Saotome."

Panting, Ranma replied, "You got it, Tendo."

With that, Akane walked back into the dojo, a look of concentration on her face as she replayed the contest in her mind.

Shampoo and Nabiki helped Ranma up and guided him back into the house, sitting him down at the table where a glass of water was waiting. He greedily drank it down and smiled at the two girls, reassuring them that he was alright.

"You do tribe proud, Airen," Shampoo said, "You never quit, and you use honor. Grandmother be very proud."

Nabiki added, "No kidding. I've never seen anything like that. I almost wish I had gotten it on film so I could sell it to some producer in Hollywood or Hong Kong. Way to go, Ranma"

Soun soon entered, and pulled a folded paper out of his gi top, "I believe you have earned this, Ranma." The boy controlled shaking hands and took the paper, unfolding it and slowly reading. It was a formal document, bearing both the Saotome and Tendo emblems, declaring that Ranma Saotome was recognized as a master of the Anything Goes style.

"I'll be filing it with the ward office later today," Soun added, giving the boy a proud smile.

"What about Pops," Ranma asked.

Soun sighed, "He has…departed for the moment. Initially he refused to sign this, but I forced the issue and I believe he is quite upset, both at his defeat and at what he perceives as my betrayal of him. It may be several days before he returns." Ranma nodded, his face taking a momentary downcast expression, and Soun added, "Do not feel bad about what you have done, son. We all strive to overcome the obstacles in our life, and Genma's pride has often been an obstacle to him. Do not count your father out yet."

Ranma nodded and returned the paper to Soun, who took it and headed back out. Sighing, Ranma stretched out and took in the smiling girls sitting with him. All things considered, his days had been improving, and the future was looking bright as well.

"We better get ready then," he said, "China, here we come."

Hikaru Gosuinkugi sat quietly behind the fence of the Tendo compound. He had watched the match between father and son with great interest, hoping to find some clue as to the nature of Ranma's powers.

When Genma had disabled the demon form of Ranma with a simple spirit ward, Hikaru had been amazed. It seemed that even if Ranma was born human, she was still susceptible to attacks that focused on the supernatural side of things. The fact that water temperature was also what controlled the transformation from human male to demon female had also been noted. In fact, Gosuinkugi had spent a great deal of the fight rapidly scribbling notes in a small notebook, jotting down martial arts abilities, connections to the other members of the household, even the fact that Ranma seemed to have very human weaknesses when in human form.

He would give a heavily edited report to Kuno, and then begin his research into the transformational curse Ranma seemed to be under, and the very nature of succubi themselves. He didn't worry about the kendoist's timeline, especially since Ranma was already getting ready for some quest of some kind. Hikaru was sure the demon would be back. Even with that, capturing a demon took patience.

And patience was something that Hikaru Gosuinkugi had in abundance.

To be continued.

Endnote: While writing the fight here, I used what I consider to be one of the better quick and dirty guides to dramatic martial arts available, so here's my little shout out for Ninjas and Superspies published by Palladium Books. Now, dear friends, we head for the wilds of China for the next few chapters and leave Gos and Kuno to their plotting. Be well, and long live the fighters.


	20. How Much Wood

Author's Note: Ranma's world was dreamed up by Rumiko Takahashi, produced by Kitty in Japan, and was licensed in the U.S. by Viz Communications, I'm just going to borrow them for a while to tell another story. This isn't for money, just for fun. This story also contains adult themes, like sex and violence so be warned. Then again, if you like sex and violence, come on down.

P.S.: still and always for Janice.

Ranma never realized how hard it was to actually get somewhere, at least without breaking any laws…much. She, Nabiki and Shampoo, with packs on back had left the Tendo training hall two days after Ranma had his fight with Genma, who had yet to return. During that time, Nabiki had conned, used her feminine wiles and outright extorted several people, the result being three seats on a cargo flight into Beijing.

Then, guided by Shampoo's knowledge of China, and Nabiki's instinct for working smarter, they had gotten a train ride, on top of the train thanks to Ranma and Shampoo's leaping ability. The trio were able to see rather phenomenal views from the top of the boxcar, but soon had to leap off and run for cover when they entered a train yard and were almost found by local security.

From there, they hid atop a tractor trailer truck that was headed further inland. Shampoo and Nabiki had held tight to Ranma as she used her demonic strength to hold them on the truck, and her wings as a wind break to protect them.

For Nabiki, it was the most exciting week of playing super spy she had ever had, and on more then one occasion, her mental abilities had tricked a security guard or policeman into believing they were local girls out for a stroll. For Ranma and Shampoo, it was just another week of cross country travel, albeit a little faster then normal thanks to Nabiki insisting on using transportation options when available.

As she, Ranma and Shampoo gripped onto the undercarriage of a second big rig headed into the mountains, she couldn't help but hum the theme from 007.

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 20

How Much Wood Could a Woodchuck Chuck if it had a Demon Wannabe and an Army of Chinese Solders

On the edge of the Jusenkyo valley, the Chinese military maintained a small garrison of troops in case any of the strange, very dangerous, and if rumors were to believed, sometimes mystical inhabitants of the valley tried to make trouble for the outside world. It was a considerable honor to be posted to command this small garrison, at least that was what the current commander, Colonel Wei Ting told himself.

The rest of the troops at the base thought it was a shithole assignment meant for screw-ups and embarrassments.

That did not stop them from snapping to attention when a local, a known Amazon Elder approached the gate. The troops had long ago learned that crossing one of the shriveled old women led to more pain and suffering then any of them wanted. So when the old woman announced herself and demanded to see the commander, she was shown in with great courtesy.

The Colonel ushered the Elder into his office and placed a small cup of tea at her side as she sat on his couch, "I must say, milady Enema, I was not expecting a visit from your tribe for a few months. To what do I own the honor of your presence?"

"Stuff it, Wei," Enema said abruptly, "We have a real problem that may have far reaching consequences." She sipped her tea as the base commander shifted uncomfortably in response to this news, but he knew that pushing for more information would only hurt his chances of getting out of the room alive.

Finally, Enema explained, "Three teenage girls are approaching the valley; one of them is a renegade Amazon. I want your men ready to intercept them and bring them to me."

The Colonel politely asked, "If this is an internal matter with the Amazon Nation I'm afraid my orders forbid me from interfering. Perhaps if I knew more…"

Slamming her cup down, Enema pierced the younger man with a hard glare, "Yes, then we can go before your superiors and I can tell them how you forced a frail old woman to look the other way when you have kidnapped a local girl or two for your little side business." Wei Ting stiffened and Enema continued, "Do not trifle with me, fool. Now go, and do as your better tells you." With that, she brought her wrinkled fist down on his desk, splitting it in half with a loud crash.

The officer gulped and said, "If I could have a description of these renegades, I can dispatch patrols immediately."

Many miles away from the base, the three teenagers in question were resting after a long day's hike. Shampoo had led them to a small pond that was fed by a waterfall, and the girls had instantly shucked their clothes and were cleaning off miles of dirt and sweat in the pool.

"I have never walked so far in my life," Nabiki said, sitting near the shore, letting the cool water come up to her sore shoulders, "I never thought I'd be so glad to take a bath, even in cold water."

Ranma swam over to her, flicking a small splash in her direction and joking, "You city girls have it too soft, but can you believe how clean the air is, how clear the water is. I'd rather be out here in the woods then trapped in any city."

"Sorry Ranma," Nabiki teased the redhead, "I need my internet connection and commuter rail. I just think you were born in the wrong century. I could easily see you running around with ninjas and samurai from a few hundred years ago."

Ranma stood, and struck a dramatic pose, and in her best imitation of Kuno declared, "Ah, the fair Nabiki Tendo speaks truly. But if I was of such a noble time, would I have not met the beauteous Nabiki, or the fierce tempest of yon Shampoo. Verily not, and it saddens me."

Nabiki stood suddenly, splashing a large amount of water at her fiancé, "I swear to any gods there are, if you ever talk like that again I'll make you sleep on the couch for a year."

Ranma pulled her arms under her chin and adopted her cute as a button look, "Oh please, Nabiki. Don't leave me out in the cold like that."

"You two are very silly girls. Maybe you jesters, not warriors," came Shampoo's voice. Ranma and Nabiki turned to see the Amazon girl under the waterfall, rinsing her hair out. She stretched, enjoying the water and her breasts bounced lightly at the movement, her nipples enlarged from the cold water running down her body.

"You may be the sex demon," Nabiki said to Ranma, "but there's a water nymph if I ever saw one."

The demoness smirked, "Amen." Nabiki turned to look at the redhead, and saw that Ranma's hand had drifted below the waterline and was moving in a rhythmic manner between her legs. This wasn't the first time she had caught Ranma masturbating during the trip, and she doubted it would be the last. Ranma had spent most of the trip in female form due to stops like this, rain, and accidental spills, and the succubus told the girls that occasionally fingering herself off usually took the edge off her hunger.

Both Nabiki and Shampoo had offered to feed the girl, and Ranma had taken a small amount of energy from each of them in turn, but the redhead insisted that both keep their energy up for the long road ahead. Through her mental probe, Nabiki had determined that Ranma was not starving yet, but soon the demon would need attention, and Ranma's self sacrificing attitude hindered this. The Tendo girl hoped that this wouldn't become a problem, but looking at Shampoo she found she was a little frisky herself.

Moving over to stand behind Ranma, Nabiki wrapped her arms around the smaller girl and began to caress her soft breasts, "You want her, don't you?" A soft moan was her only answer, and Nabiki let one hand drift down across Ranma's smooth stomach to join the redhead's hand between her legs.

As Nabiki ran her fingers through Ranma's pubic hair under the water, she leaned in; molding her chest to Ranma's back and whispering in her ear, "Let's get her."

Ranma tilted her head back and gave Nabiki a searing kiss, then broke away, a hungry smile on her face. The demoness slid quietly under the water, and Nabiki traced her pert bottom as she glided towards the waterfall. The Tendo girl took a deep breath and joined Ranma under the surface.

Ranma had been right, the water was crystal clear, and Nabiki had no trouble following Ranma to the churning water near Shampoo, and before Ranma ducked into the disturbance, she signaled Nabiki to swing behind the bathing Amazon and attack from behind. Nabiki had no problem with this approach, and swam out wide, coming in until she saw Shampoo's perfect hourglass hips half in the water.

In front of Shampoo, Ranma had glided close enough to see the warrior girl's legs, and zeroed in on their juncture. After a mental signal from Nabiki, she timed her strike to coincide with the psychic girl's own attack. Simultaneously, both girls pushed off the pond floor and struck. Ranma instantly latched onto a large breast and began to suckle on the nipple while her fingers danced along swollen neither lips.

She heard a gasp above her, signaling her target's approval, and then a giggle off to one side. Opening her eyes, she found herself greedily feeding on Nabiki's hardened nipple. Turning, both girls saw Shampoo leaning against a rock wall behind the waterfall, her mouth bent in a smile.

"You no sneak up on Amazon warrior," She said, mirth in her voice, "But that not mean that Shampoo not willing to…" She stopped as she noticed Ranma tilt her head, staring off into the distance for a moment. Suddenly, the nude redhead pushed Nabiki behind the waterfall to join Shampoo and moved to cover them both, using her wings to allow them to blend into the rock face behind the cascading water.

"Someone's coming," Ranma hissed and looked over her shoulder towards shore. The other girls looked as well, and sure enough, a small group of people broke through the tree line. Shampoo stiffened when she noticed the uniforms the men wore, and her hand reflexively gripped a mace that wasn't there.

Nabiki was more interested in the guns the three men carried. From their movements, uniforms and weapons, she guessed that they had just encountered the Chinese military. Seeing as she had no real passport, or any identifying papers, or actual clothes on at the moment, she had no desire to be caught by the soldiers, and joined Shampoo in a state of advanced inertness.

The three men worked their way along the edge of the pool, and Nabiki saw that they were headed towards another trail, but their packs and discarded garments were along their path, and as she feared, the men quickly stumbled on them. She saw one of them hold up her bra, and fought the urge to yell out in protest.

"We can't let them take our stuff," she hissed quietly into Ranma's ear.

Ranma whispered back, "I'm more worried about them finding us. Can you mind trick them into walking away or something?"

Nabiki concentrated for a moment, and then leveled a glare at the redhead hiding them, "They think in Chinese too. I can't even understand them."

"You two be quiet," Shampoo hissed, "Is no good if we get caught." Slowly, she evaluated the solders and leaned in close to the other two girls, "We take them quick, maybe we get away."

Ranma shook her head, "We can't take all three of them fast enough. And I don't want to risk anyone getting shot. Guns have a lot longer range then fists do."

Nabiki focused for a moment, and suddenly nodded, "I'll distract them, and you two work around and drop them."

"What, how," Ranma asked, but Nabiki was already sliding along the rocks, getting out from behind Ranma and giving the succubus a mental push in the other direction. She saw Shampoo nod approval and pull Ranma away, and the worried look on Ranma's face gave her pause for a moment. Then she refocused on her plan, and faced the direction of the three soldiers studying their belongings.

Mentally preparing herself, she once more stepped under the cascading water of the fall, and began stretching, rubbing her hands along her body, and lightly singing a wordless song of relaxation. She felt the men's eyes upon her suddenly, and she began slowly rocking her hips back and fourth , lifting her hands to cup her heavy breasts as she threw her head back.

She kept facing slightly away from them, but kept mental tabs on their position, seeking out any aggressive feelings aimed at her. To draw the men's attention further on her, she allowed one hand to drift down below the water to her front, and made it move in a way to suggest she was pleasuring herself. She felt one of the men almost drop his rifle at the sight and fought down her embarrassment.

Nabiki sensed that Ranma and Shampoo were almost in position and gave one final effort to drawing the men in. She once more threw her head back and let out a long moan that turned into a low growl. At the end of the noise, Ranma and Shampoo struck.

The Amazon delivered a fast knife hand strike to both sides of one soldier's neck, making him drop his rifle in pain and spin around to face his attacker, who delivered a solid punch under the man's jaw that had him out before he crumpled to the ground.

Simultaneously, Ranma dropped in between the other two from above and sent an elbow into each of their throats before landing and spinning around to punch both men in the guts. When the soldiers doubled over, Ranma struck them in the face with quick knee strikes, knocking them out one after the other.

After the attack was concluded, both girls turned to look at Nabiki, who had sunk back into the water, with only her head above the surface with a frightened expression on her face. Shampoo waved Ranma out to help her, while she tied up the men.

Ranma waded out and lowered herself down next to Nabiki, taking the girl in her arms. The Tendo girl was shivering strongly, and Ranma could almost feel the panic radiating off her. Quietly, she helped Nabiki back to shore, and Shampoo brought a shirt over to cover the shaking girl.

After a few moments of gently rocking in Ranma's arms Nabiki spoke, "I was so sure of myself. Just strut out, draw their attention, and let you jump them, and I did it. But they were armed, and probably would have shot me if they weren't thinking with their dicks. I got so scared." She turned to look at Ranma, and Shampoo over the redhead's shoulder, "You two fight people all the time, how come you never get scared?"

"I do get scared, sometimes," Ranma admitted, "I got scared when you risked yourself like that. And I got scared when I was fighting Shampoo. I was scared of losing either one of you. I have to put that fear aside, or I wouldn't be able to act."

Shampoo kneeled down and put a hand on Nabiki's arm, "You fight fear and do job, that what warriors do. Warrior takes risks so healer, or farmer, or teacher not have to. You prove you brave, now you face what come after fear."

"What's that," asked Nabiki, looking into Shampoo's green eyes.

Shampoo smiled, "You is happy you alive, and not used to feeling yet."

Nabiki chuckled lightly, sharing a smile with the Amazon, and leaned against Ranma for a moment before standing. Feeling the love coming off her fiancé, and a measure of fighter's respect coming from Shampoo, she felt her confidence slowly return, and her legs grew more stable beneath her.

"We had better get moving," Nabiki said, strength returning to her voice, "Those jokers will have friends out here, and I for one don't want to be found." With that, the girls gathered their clothing, redressing quickly and resuming their trek.

Shampoo took the lead, her simple short green dress allowing freedom of movement as she used long strides to make her way quickly along the path. Nabiki followed, khaki shorts and a crop top making her look like a jungle adventure heroine. Ranma trailed the others by a short distance, her wings once more vanishing beneath her red vest.

The three girls moved quickly, but after only an hour of travel, Shampoo waved them off the path and back into the woods. Nabiki quickly complied, and Ranma had already disappeared into the branches above.

Another group of armed men were walking along the path, and Shampoo and Nabiki flattened themselves against the ground to stay out of sight. The leader of the group was talking on a hand radio, and the men moved quickly on up the path, taking the way that the travelers had just come from.

"They looking for us," Shampoo said after the soldiers disappeared from sight.

Ranma dropped back down onto the path, her wings wide as she looked for any more intruders. "Are you sure," the redhead asked.

"They receive descriptions of us, and then friends say they jumped by us near water. Other soldiers must be free now," Shampoo said. "Must move faster now or they catch up to us."

"We need to get off the trails," Nabiki said, looking into the forest. "And we need to move faster."

Soon the girls were on the move once more, Ranma in the air, carrying Nabiki as Shampoo hopped from tree branch to tree branch. By taking a high road, they left no trail to follow, and with Shampoo's acrobatic ability and Ranma's flight they managed to cover twice as much distance in only an hour. At a small clearing, they set down to rest, and get their bearings.

"If soldiers still looking for us we need to go around long way," Shampoo said, "It add maybe day to hike."

Nabiki slowly rubbed Ranma's wings and asked, "Why are they looking for us anyway? And how do they know what we look like?"

"We could always ask one of them," Ranma said jokingly as she enjoyed the rubdown her wing joints were getting. Suddenly, Nabiki's hands stopped moving, and Ranma turned to see a contemplative look on Nabiki's face. "Um, that was a joke, Nabiki."

Nabiki developed a small smile, "Maybe we should. What do you think, Shampoo? These are your stomping grounds after all."

"They tough soldiers," the Amazon answered, looking oddly at Nabiki, "They no break easy."

Ranma added, "And you already said you can't read their thoughts."

Nabiki only smiled, "I've got a plan…"

An hour later, a patrol was working its way along another path, and the men of the small group were growing more frustrated by the second. One of the men fell back, bored and in desperate need of a bathroom break. Telling the man next to him that he would catch up, he wandered off the trail to find an adequate bush to water. After he completed his task, he turned back towards the path, but a short, redhead stood in his way.

He brought his rifle up to point at her, but before he got it steady, an unseen force yanked it out of his hands and sent it flying into the hands of another girl, foreign looking with brown hair, who appeared from behind a tree. A third girl, this time one of the blue haired Amazons of the valley, came up behind him and kicked the back of his knees, dropping him to the ground.

He tried to reach for his radio to call for the rest of his squad, but before he could thumb the switch, the redhead and the taller brown haired girl held hands and locked eyes with him. He froze as the redhead's eyes began to glow, and a warm blanket seemed to wrap around his mind. An overwhelming calmness swept over him, and after a moment he simply sat, waiting. The Amazon girl crouched in front of him and asked questions. The soldier was so relaxed he answered them automatically, not realizing that he was being interrogated. When she was done, the blue haired girl stood and nodded to the other girls, and with a flare of blue light from the redhead, he passed into darkness.

Ranma let go of Nabiki's hand and sighed as the blue light faded from her eyes, "That was hard work."

Nabiki leaned back against a tree and nodded, "I didn't think overwhelming him with a feeling would be easy. I'm just glad it worked. It did work, right?"

Shampoo considered what she had learned from the soldier and answered, "Old woman come to army camp. She say she Amazon elder and then troops told to capture girls that look like us. They think we renegades."

"Who could she be," asked Nabiki, "Who would even know we were coming?"

Ranma growled low, "Enema."

"Impossible," Nabiki countered, "Even if she figured out that Shampoo broke her spell, there is no way she would know we were already in the area."

Shampoo shook her head, "Elders have many ways, some very secret. Even Enema probably has ways to find out. We keep moving for village, is only way now."

The other girls looked at the automatic rifle lying on the ground and shuddered at the thought of being chased by a whole camp of men armed like that. To Ranma, it was a weapon of considerable power that she knew she could not dodge forever, and that one blow from its projectiles could disable or kill in an instant. Nabiki looked at it from the perspective of a schoolgirl thrust into the middle of a war zone.

She didn't feel much like playing James Bond anymore.

They quickly set off again, moving as fast as possible while still leaving as little trace of their presence as they could. By the time the sun had set they had covered many more miles, but had been forced to change course several times as patrols neared their position. At one point they had to hide still for an hour while a heavy truck unloaded men and supplies and took another group back to their base. Once the men had dispersed, the three girls moved out once more.

As the stars came out, they rested under a large tree, moonlight peeking through the leaves as Ranma flew up to the treetops to keep an eye out while Nabiki and Shampoo took sips of water and bites of trail mix to keep going.

"You feel better now," Shampoo asked the tired looking girl.

Nabiki swallowed a mouthful of water and replied, "I think so. This is the most time outdoors I've spent my entire life. And more adventure then I ever thought I'd have. You and Ranma brush it off like it's nothing, but the age of wandering adventures ended about two hundred years ago. I sorry I'm just slowing you down."

"No be sorry," Shampoo said, sliding over to sit next to Nabiki, "You is very smart, and you help great deal. You remember that mind is power, and knowing enemy is power. Thanks to you, we know what enemy thinks. You prove you loyal by coming, you prove you brave back at waterfall, now you prove you wise with plans. Shampoo think you make good Amazon sister-wife."

The Amazon leaned over and took hold of Nabiki's chin, turning the girl towards her. She moved in and kissed the Tendo girl lightly on the lips. Nabiki returned the kiss, enjoying the soft touch that Shampoo had as she ran a hand along Nabiki's jaw and down her neck to lightly rub her shoulder.

Suddenly, Ranma dropped back into sight, making Nabiki jump back in surprise.

"Lights in the woods," the demoness whispered, pulling on her pack once more, "And they are moving this way."

Nabiki reached into her pack, pulling out a compass and studying it briefly, "That's three times in the last two hours, and we are being forced north again." She closed the compass and put it away, then closed her eyes to concentrate.

"Come on," Ranma urged, "We've got maybe ten minutes until they're on top of us."

"Shh," Nabiki admonished, "I'm thinking." Her eyes opened and she looked at the other two who wore curious looks, "We're being herded. They don't know exactly where we are, but for some reason, they have a general idea. They use the patrols to keep us moving in the direction they want."

"A trap," Shampoo realized.

Ranma groaned, "We can't fight all those guys out there, and if we're walking into a trap, there is no way they aren't ready for us."

Nabiki stood, "If we go back, we'll get caught, and same if we go forward. I for one don't want to get shot, so we have to find a way out of this. Ranma, could you fly us out one at a time over their lines?"

"Not before they caught up to whoever I left behind for the second trip," the redhead said remorsefully.

Shampoo growled low and said, "I say we spring trap. Maybe they ready for Shampoo and Ranma, but Nabiki is mind-walker. They not be ready for her."

"And I have a few more tricks then when Enema and I tangled last," Ranma said, a ghost of her confident smile returning. Both girls turned to Nabiki and searched her face for any sign of fear or courage.

"It's nuts," the Tendo girl said, "Its suicidal, and at best we are looking at real trouble with the Chinese government…but I do love to gamble." The smile she gave the others was nervous, but hopeful. Ranma took each girl's hand in her own and the three walked forward, less caring about the trail they made as they walked into the jaws of the trap set for them.

In less then an hour, they came upon a clearing where a dozen armed soldiers were waiting for them. Quickly a group moved forward, and the girls allowed themselves to be taken into custody without struggle. Handcuffs were placed on each of them, and a blindfold was placed over Ranma's eyes.

They had not expected this, but Nabiki's mental reassurance calmed Ranma, and the demon girl focused on her other senses, including the twinges of demonic sense that gnawed at the edge of her understanding. They were loaded onto a truck and it began moving, presumably back to the soldier's base.

During the ride, Nabiki managed to block out the claw of fear grabbing her heart, as well as the noise and jarring from the truck. Forcing herself into a calmer state, she reached out with her developing power, and felt the insides of the metal cuffs on her wrists. It took most of the ride, but she found a way to open the lock quickly when the time came. A simple snap of one of the levers on the inside of the metal bindings would release them instantly, and she sent this information mentally to the other two girls who were preparing their own parts of the escape plan.

As the truck came to a stop, the soldiers opposite them gestured to precede them out, rifles still pointed at their heads. Ranma and Shampoo hopped out while Nabiki worked her way off the tailgate, unaided by nervous looking troopers. Once the three of them were once more on the ground, they were escorted into the main courtyard of the base, where a high ranking soldier waited with a shriveled old woman standing next to him.

"Exile," Shampoo hissed out.

Enema chuckled and replied in Japanese, "Don't bother, these men are loyal to their commander, and he is my pawn, as I thought you would be, Shampoo. But once again you failed the tribe by not killing the outsider. It all works out in the end though; after all you did bring her to me. Now I can take what is rightfully mine."

As she talked, she walked over and gave Shampoo a scornful look, but passed on and looked up at Ranma with eyes hungry for power. Even though Ranma was blindfolded she could feel the ex-Elder's malevolent glare. As for Nabiki, she was hardly given a second look by the exiled Amazon, and with relief quietly undid the locks holding her friends arms.

As Enema passed in front of her, she signaled to the others, _"Now!"_

The three sets of handcuffs fell off, and Shampoo reached into the front of her shirt, diving into her cleavage to pull out a small sphere that she smashed against the ground, sending up a bellowing cloud of smoke. The soldiers were about to fire, but Colonel Wei Ting ordered them to stop. He had no doubt his men would mow down the captives, but if any of them killed the redhead or injured Enema, he would pay the price.

Inside the cloud, Nabiki had delivered the equivalent force of an elephant sitting down on top of Enema's head, and the old woman was pushed to the ground, unable to move for the moment. Ranma had pulled off her blindfold and her glowing eyes burned red in the smoke as she launched herself skyward. Shampoo finished her work of knocking out the guards that were in the smoke and took Nabiki's hand.

Nabiki smirked and changed the direction of the pressure on Enema.

The redhead shot out of the cloud in front of the startled troops, and her black wings blending into the night sky, but the fire shooting out of her hand did not. The flaming ball streaked towards the ground and struck one of the base buildings, causing an explosion and setting the building on fire.

At the same time, Enema also shot from the cloud, but in a less controlled fashion. She was flung bodily through the air and sent into the side of one of the transports parked in the yard.

Ranma spun in the air, sending a shower of smaller fireballs down into the field drawing attention to herself as Nabiki and Shampoo, crouching low, made their way to a jeep near the gate of the base.

"You do know how to drive this, right," Shampoo asked as Nabiki pushed the ignition button.

Gripping the wheel, Nabiki answered, "In theory, sure. But I haven't taken the driver's test yet." She sent another mental signal to Ranma, who stopped her rain and launched one final fireball at the middle of the gate as Nabiki sent the military jeep tearing towards it. The heat stressed moving fence yielded under the impact of the speeding vehicle and buckled instantly, opening the path to freedom for the girls.

Enema got to her feet in time to see the jeep crash through the gate with Ranma flying above it. She stormed over to the base commander who was shouting orders to his men and used her staff to crack him in the knees, bringing him down to eye level with her.

"You let them escape, you idiot," she yelled in his face, "Get after them, quickly!"

The Colonel glared at the old woman and countered, "We can not. The fire needs to be contained before it hits the fuel or ammunition storage. Your little plan has cost us dearly, and if we do not act now, our very lives may be sacrificed."

Enema reached out and gripped his neck tightly, slowly crushing his windpipe, "Do you think I care about your worthless life, male? If I tell you to die, then you die. Now get after them!" Behind them, soldiers continued to battle the blaze as the fire greedily reached towards waiting gas tanks near the edge of the base.

Barreling away from the base at nothing resembling a safe speed, Nabiki drove into the night with Ranma overhead. She was slowly getting a feel for the army jeep's steering as they headed in the direction of the Amazon village. Suddenly a large explosion rocked the night, and Nabiki stopped the vehicle to look back at where they had briefly been held. She, Shampoo, and Ranma watched as fire shot into the sky and the cloud of smoke coming from the base doubled in volume.

"That slow them down," Shampoo said with a smirk.

Ranma landed next to them and said, "I just hope no one was really hurt back there. I didn't really mean for that to happen."

"She was going to kill us," Nabiki told the redhead, "So you'll excuse me if I'm rooting for the fire."

Ranma shook her head, "No argument about that one, but I just don't think we're that lucky." The girls moved out once more, this time with Ranma sitting in the back of the jeep, resting after her exertion. Shampoo guided them along the dirt roads of the region until they were less then an hour's walk from the Amazon village, at which point Nabiki pulled the jeep of the road and the three took a short breather.

"I have really got to learn how to stop pissing people off," Ranma quipped, earning a dry laugh from Nabiki and a playful swat from Shampoo as they got out of the jeep.

As Shampoo reached out to help Ranma out of her slouch in the back seat, Nabiki felt a flash from the redhead, who recoiled slightly from Shampoo's touch. When she saw the warrior girls shocked reaction Nabiki walked around the front of the vehicle and placed a hand on Shampoo's shoulder.

"It's the hunger," she said quietly, "She put so much effort into covering our escape that it drained her. And now our stubborn lover is resisting the urge to feed because we may still be in danger." She turned to the redhead, who refused to meet her eyes and continued, "I asked you to be more careful, but you always give everything to what you're doing. Good thing for you that it's one of the reasons I love you."

With that she climbed back into the jeep, a reassuring smile on her face as she pulled her top up to expose her breasts to the succubus. Shampoo stood guard as her co-wife fed the worn out redhead, but the sounds coming from the back of the jeep were too much for her and she soon found herself with them, dress pulled up around her waist as the demoness took her fill from both girls at once.

Almost near the end of the feeding, however, Ranma suddenly felt every nerve in her body fire at once in a well honed signal that danger was approching, and she saw Nabiki stiffen as well, her head swiveling around to look back towards the destroyed military base. Shampoo looked around as well, a look of confusion on her face due to the other girls sudden stopping of their activities, and noticed that Nabiki's face was slowly becoming panicked.

Nabiki breathed, "She wants to kill us…"

Out of the darkened sky, a figure swooped down and with clawed legs grabbed Shampoo by the shoulders before she could react. With a flap of heavy leather wings, Shampoo was lifted out of the jeep, and Ranma and Nabiki saw a flash of a manic grin from their assailant.

Nabiki rolled to one side as Ranma stood; reaching out for Shampoo's diminishing form. The Amazon let out a cry for help, and Ranma's wings once more sprung from her back to give chase. But the redhead hesitated and looked back down at Nabiki.

"Go," Nabiki yelled, "The village is right down the road. I'll go get help. Now go, quickly!"

With that, Ranma launched into the darkness, her burning red eyes a beacon in the night. Nabiki pulled her shorts back on and slid once more into the driver's seat. Uncaring about stealth, she fired the engine and pulled back onto the road, turning on the lights and speeding towards the Amazon village.

Meanwhile in the air, Ranma quickly found the taste of lavender and the remains of arousal as she sped after Enema and Shampoo. The darkness was not a hindrance to her as the faint connection from her interrupted feeding still burned in her mind, and with forceful pumping of her wings, she struggled to gain on the other flyer in the night.

In the distance the valley opened up, and moonlight reflected off hundreds of pools.

To be continued.


	21. Spring and Fall

Author's Note: The NWC and the situations they found themselves in were the work of Rumiko Takahashi and were distributed by Kitty and Viz. I use them without permission, but with humble respect for those before me, and I write this with no intent to profit from the efforts of others. There is sex, there is violence, and some foul language. If any of these offend or you are a minor, be gone with ye, tis not for you.

P.S.: by now you know I do this for Janice.

Nabiki drove like a woman possessed, or more accurately, a woman scared crazy. In the last few hours she had been chased around the countryside of China, captured at gunpoint, been confronted by her fiancé's worst enemy, and escaped from a military base. To top it all off, Ranma's Amazon wife had just been kidnapped by said enemy.

Now Nabiki was closing in on the village that had been their destination for the last week, and the young woman skidded her stolen military jeep to a halt several meters away from two guards that brandished weapons in her direction.

"Cologne," she yelled, gesturing to the guards to make up for her lack of Chinese language skills, "Bring Cologne, quick."

There was a moment of confusion, but one of the guards ducked into the village, hopefully to retrieve the Matriarch. Nabiki waited, her head turned to the sky in a desperate search for the minds of Ranma and Shampoo. She was so lost in her concentration, that she almost jumped when a very short, old woman pogoed out on a walking stick and called out to her.

"Who are you," Cologne of the Amazons asked.

"Nabiki Tendo," the girl answered, "I'm here with Ranma and Shampoo." Cologne seemed to light up at that news, but Nabiki continued, "Shampoo was just kidnapped by Enema, and Ranma is chasing after her."

Cologne examined the girl, and caught the fright in the girl's eyes, "Come quickly then. Which way did they fly?" Nabiki pointed, sensing the tingle of Ranma's anger in the air, and the Matriarch's expression turned further to a scowl.

"Come," Cologne said simply, and began to move with great speed in the direction indicated, and she noted that this Nabiki Tendo was in hot pursuit.

Nabiki ran along next to the old woman and asked, "You know where they're headed?"

"That direction is the valley of the Cursed Springs," Cologne said, "My guess is that Enema is about to work her revenge."

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 21

Spring and Fall

Shampoo struggled against her captor, but Enema's clawed feet dug painfully into her shoulders, making the Amazon cry into the night. She could only hope that the anguished yell would give her transformed husband something to home in on in the dark sky. She knew Ranma was out there, but in the demon's current condition could she survive a battle with the exiled Elder?

"You failed me, Shampoo," Enema mocked her from above, "just as you failed to kill the outsider as you were ordered by the council." Shampoo looked up into the girl bat's eyes, and in the moonlight she saw the hint of madness.

"Order was wrong," the blue haired captive yelled back, "Ranma give chance for village to regain honor after tragedy so long ago. You fail village when you no recognize this fact."

Enema roughly shook the girl and screamed, "Silence, whelp! Your worthless grandmother and her ilk have brought shame to all Amazons and can not spare you this time. For failing the village, I find you guilty and sentence you to the appropriate punishment. But do not despair; you shall serve one last purpose, luring the demon into my hand so that I can take her power for the good of my people!" Enema began to cackle into the darkness, but was cut short as a ball of flame streaked in and blasted her in the back.

"FACE ME, YOU BITCH," screamed Ranma as she power dived in behind her hellfire attack. The redhead swooped in under her opponent and caught Shampoo in her arms while unleashing another blast, this time into the exposed body of the other flyer.

Enema's claws opened reflexively from the blast, and Shampoo found herself falling away in Ranma's arms. Their freedom was shot lived however as Enema banked around sharply and slammed bodily into Ranma, knocking the three of them across the sky. Ranma and Shampoo spun out of control, but the redhead managed to hold on to her wife with one hand as they fell rapidly towards the ground.

Enema recovered quickly and dove after the plummeting pair, her leg lashing out to rake Ranma's face, breaking the succubus' hold on Shampoo. With a furious back kick, the exile knocked Shampoo away, back towards the springs below and spun around to catch one of Ranma's wings in her feet, squeezing tightly as she felt bone begin to bend under pressure.

Ranma screamed and tried to break away, tried to fight off her attacker, tried to do anything, but she could feel her wing begin to fail, and was helpless as she watched Shampoo fall to her apparent death. Enema laughed, taunting the trapped girl and grabbed her free wing to apply the same pressure, dislocating both wing roots, but Ranma's eye's ignited into a red fury that expanded to engulf her entire body.

Releasing the burning girl, Enema watched as the demon fell to the ground away from the pools, landing with a crash. She swooped down to gloat over the broken girl.

At the tree line, Nabiki and Cologne arrived in time to see Ranma fall to the ground. Nabiki was about to charge forward, but the Amazon Matriarch held her back.

"I know your feelings, girl," the Elder said, "But trust me when I say she is far out of your league. Stay here while I attempt to aid our friend." With that, Cologne began to pogo towards the downed demon girl. Before she could reach Ranma, however, Enema landed and pulled back her hand and struck out at Ranma with her claws pointing at the redhead's heart.

Before the lethal blow was struck, a small object bounced out of the night, striking the Exile in the face in a blur of white fur and claws. Enema knocked the attacker to the ground and the shape resolved itself into a small white cat with pink paws, hissing at the girl bat.

The cat leaped into the air once more to strike, its claws extended, but Enema caught it in mid leap. Holding it by the scruff of the neck she examined it, ignoring Ranma for the moment. Recognition soon dawned in the transformed Elder's eyes.

"Well, well, well. It seems your catty granddaughter received her just reward, wouldn't you say Cologne?" Enema poked the struggling feline in the underbelly, earning a yawl of pain. Then she threw the cat at the approaching Matriarch, almost knocking her off her staff.

Cologne managed to hold on and catch the small feline before it fell to the ground. The cat calmed in Cologne's arms, and the old woman let a tear fall from her eye as she realized the truth.

"Oh, my dear granddaughter," Cologne said softly, "I am so sorry."

"It is the price of betrayal," Enema snarled and charged the Matriarch. Cologne hopped off her staff and blocked Enema's attack with the wooden shaft, allowing Shampoo to drop lightly to the ground.

Quickly, the two former colleauges were locked in an exchange of rapid blows, each probing the other for weakness in a display of advanced hand to hand technique. As the Elder and Exile fought, Shampoo crawled her way back over to Ranma who was still shaken on the ground. Nabiki raced to Ranma's still form as well and saw the fate that had befallen her fiancé's wife.

"_Is that really you, Shampoo," _Nabiki probed.

The cat nuzzled Nabiki's leg as the girl sat down next to Ranma and mentally answered, _"Is true. Shampoo cursed now. Am weak little cat."_ Nabiki felt shame rolling off the transformed girl and rested her hand reassuringly on the small back of the cat as she turned her attention to Ranma.

Slowly the redhead was coming to, and opened her eyes to see Nabiki's worried expression above her. She tried to sit up, but pain stabbed her in the shoulders as the damage to her wings made itself known. Wincing she turned to Nabiki.

She asked, "Is Shampoo alright? Did I get to her in time?"

"She's alive," Nabiki told her, "but she landed in one of the springs."

"Oh no…"

Nabiki helped Shampoo up so Ranma could see the changed Amazon, and as the small cat came into view, Ranma's eyes enlarged and the pain was forgotten as she began crawling backwards away from the feline.

"C…C…C…CAT!!!"

Ranma's scream was accompanied by the flash of memories pouring through Nabiki's mind as the floodgates opened in Ranma's psyche. Ranma's father, a pit, starving cats, and the smell of fish played in Nabiki's mind before overwhelming pain and fear made her close off her power to Ranma. Quickly she turned to shield the redhead from the sight of the transformed Amazon.

"Oh god," she breathed. She mentally informed Shampoo of what she had seen, and the cat shuddered at the images.

Ranma's panicked breathing slowed, "I'm…I'm alright. God, I'm sorry Shampoo. I didn't want to react like that."

"I saw what happened," Nabiki said, "And I showed it to Shampoo so she would know why you reacted that way. How old were you when that happened, Ranma?"

"Six," the redhead whispered, "And now Enema has turned my wife into my greatest fear. I bet she never realized how good her revenge would be." As Ranma spoke, a snarl developed in her voice, and Nabiki did not need to open her mind to feel the rage coming off the demon girl behind her.

With a flap of her wings, and a scream of pain, Ranma forced her wings back into place and took off, heading right for the battling Amazon Elders.

"_Take me to watchman's hut,"_ Shampoo mentally called to Nabiki, _"We get hot water and help Airen." _Nabiki scooped up the Amazon cat and started for the shack in the distance.

As the Tendo girl ran to change her friend back to normal, Ranma rejoined the battle against Enema with a blazing jab that intercepted her attack on Cologne. This created an opening for the embattled Matriarch to gain an arm's length of distance and swing low with her staff, trying to knock Enema off her feet. She failed to connect as the girl bat flapped her winged arms and gained altitude to dodge, but had to drop again as Ranma executed a flying kick aimed to take off the orange haired Exile's head.

Enema found herself on the defensive as Cologne and Ranma moved with vicious efficiency to box her in and tire her out. She paced herself, her reflexes faster then Cologne due to her curse provided youth, and her skill greater then Ranma thanks to her advanced years as an Amazon Elder. Confident in her position, she knew that she had a few more tricks in her sleeve, and it was time to make her opponents angry, and reckless.

"A pity about Shampoo, eh Cologne," she taunted, "After all, being turned into a cat forever will destroy her standing in the tribe."

"What have you done," Cologne growled as she blocked a talon hand raking form her face with her staff.

Enema smirked and jumped out of the way of a spin kick from Ranma, "I've locked her curse with the Cat's Tongue pressure point. She will never be human again!"

Cologne whispered, "no…" She fell back, shocked by the news, but Ranma's reaction was far different. The redhead doubled her speed, launching two rapid Amaguriken attacks in a row. Enema easily blocked them, but as her arms absorbed each blow, she felt heat coming from the demoness' hands.

Across the field surrounding the cursed pools, Shampoo's new feline hearing picked up on the Exile's declaration and froze in Nabiki's arms.

_I'm going to be a cat forever,_ she thought sadly.

"_We don't know that for sure, Shampoo," _Nabiki projected into the cat's mind, _"She may just be trying to play head games with Ranma."_

Shampoo considered Nabiki's words, but remembered the single poke that Enema had used on her soft underbelly, and dreaded the truth. Thinking quickly, she tried to figure a way that she could still be of use to her beloved.

Back at the fight, Enema was surprised to find herself being overwhelmed by the animalistic attack of Ranma. The redhead attacked from several directions, sometimes in Amazon forms that Enema could almost predict, but other times there were no forms at all, just a chaotic fusillade of punches and kicks.

To gain breathing room, Enema jumped into the air once more, using Ranma's own arm as a springboard during a massive punch. She quickly surveyed the area, looking for advantages, and her eyes locked onto the girl running toward the hut on the edge of the springs. Knowing that this was one of Ranma's companions, and that there was another connection to be used here; Enema picked up speed and dove for the running girl.

Ranma was right behind her, the demon's red eyes highlighting her position in the darkness, but that did not slow Enema down in the least. Once more the Exile's clawed feet shot out, but instead of shoulders, the renegade Amazon clamped on to the Tendo girl's neck, lifting her off the ground.

Nabiki felt her airway constrict and instinctively dropped Shampoo to the ground to claw at her throat. She felt the hardened talons of Enema press into her neck, and tried to focus past the pain and fear to concentrate enough to use her telekinesis, but another squeeze on her neck shattered her concentration as she was taken into the sky.

Enema spun in midair, jerking her hostage around and glared at the approaching Ranma.

"Stop right there," she yelled, "If you value this one's life at all, you will land right now!"

Ranma halted in mid air, her eyes whirling in color as she saw Nabiki struggling in Enema's grip. Growling in anger, Ranma slowly descended, her eye's locked onto Enema as the Exile jerked Nabiki in her grip to emphasize her position. When the redhead touched down next to Cologne, Enema made her move.

Releasing Nabiki in mid air, she dove once more for Ranma, intent on delivering a killing blow as the demon leapt to intercept her falling lover. The two winged girls collided in mid air, tumbling across the sky as Nabiki dropped. Enema grappled with Ranma, fighting to keep the demon girl's wings under her control as they spun away from the pools, crashing to the ground a short distance away. Instantly, Enema put a headlock on Ranma and forced her to watch as Nabiki fell to her death.

Nabiki on the other hand was fighting to control her fear as the earth rushed up to meet her. Aside from the possibility of being cursed, she also saw the bamboo poles sticking out of each pool, and realized that there was a very good chance she would never reach the ground due to being impaled on one of the tall shoots.

In the midst of it all, she had a moment of clarity as events of the last month played through her mind. She remembered the hints of her abilities before Ranma's arrival; her awakening during their first time together; developing her power both mentally and physically. But that would not help now. She could maybe create planes of force to copy Ranma's wings, but she had no experience with controlling flight, and no time to learn.

She had less then five meters left when inspiration struck her.

_There's too much air to move, like with wings, but there is a lot less Nabiki to move._

Ranma had no choice but to watch as Nabiki fell towards one of the bamboo poles. But as she was about to be skewered, a slight shimmering appeared about her body, tossing her hair in a non existent wind. Ranma saw Nabiki's fall slow, and the girl right herself, landing lightly with one foot on the bamboo, and then bouncing off to float in mid air over the cursed pools. Nabiki's eyes were closed as she slowly drifted to the edge of the springs and set down once more on dry land.

"Impossible," breathed Enema behind her.

Ranma smirked, "Impossible means nothing to us. Give up, you can't win." Ranma's confidence was short lived however as Nabiki fell to the ground, panting in exhaustion. Enema jerked her sideways, and she was facing Cologne, who had used Nabiki's incredible self-rescue as a distraction to move in close and position herself to attack.

"Don't, old friend," Enema told the Matriarch, "Your precious Chosen One is at my mercy. I will have her power, and then I will rule the Amazons as is my destiny. Or you will lose yet another student to your ambition of corruption." Cologne winced at the words, and assumed a neutral stance as Enema began to drag Ranma back towards the springs.

She whispered into Ranma's ear, "I'm going to drown you, just as your ancestor was drowned in these very springs. And with your last breath, I will take you power and become a goddess to my people." There was a small disturbance in the spring behind her, but she paid it no mind as she pulled her prize closer, her eye's tracking Cologne and a recovering Nabiki.

The explosion of water behind her caught Enema off guard as a form shot out of the water, impacting solidly with her back. The force of the attack knocked her off balance and allowed Ranma to break the hold and roll away as the human shape landed behind Enema and delivered two sweeping strikes that caused her transformed Elder to shreik out in pain.

The attacker let out an inhuman roar that sent shivers along Ranma's spine as panic settled in on her, and made her shuffle back further from the conflict before her.

The attacker jumped again, this time using Enema as a pivot to vault over, turning in mid air to plant its feet on her chest, driving the stunned girl bat to the ground as clawed hands clamped into her arms.

"Now you know how it feels," a growling voice said in the dark as sharp, pointed teeth became visible. The damp form resolved itself and Ranma looked on in a mixture of relief and horror.

The creature was decidedly female, but her hands and feet appeared enlarged slightly to accommodate sharp claws like the ones digging into Enema's flesh. Ranma saw that lines of pink fur ran from the back of its hands and tops of its feet and faded to white as they surrounded the humanoid figure's calves and forearms. A long white tail thrashed back and forth starting just above a shapely posterior and ending in a pink furred tip. A long mane of blue hair cascaded down its back and was topped by a pair of white feline ears.

The blue hair drew Ranma in, even over her fear, and she yelped out, "Shampoo? Is that you?" The female feline form turned to and faced Ranma, and in the moonlight a pair of slit green eyes shone brightly.

"Rrrranma," the cat girl purred out, "I glad you all rrright. Go make sure Nabiki safe while I deal with Exile."

"I'll not be dealt with," growled Enema and kicked out to push Shampoo off her. The nude cat girl bounced off, landing in a low crouch, her hands briefly touching the ground in front of her, and then she charged at Enema who used the moment to flip upright and bring her own clawed hands up to meet Shampoo's.

As the two cursed Amazons grappled, Ranma managed to pull herself back and check on Nabiki as Cologne charged by her to join her granddaughter in battle. The demon girl dropped down to her knees next to Nabiki and fought to control her panic as she saw a small trickle of blood coming out her fiancé's nose.

Nabiki waved off Ranma's attempt to help and said, "I just pushed myself too hard, that's all. Go help Shampoo."

Ranma looked at the battle, but instantly looked away as she saw Shampoo's cat-like form and winced in fear and shame.

"I don't know if I can," the redhead said in a heavy voice, tears welling in her eyes. Nabiki reached out a hand to steady the shaking girl as she considered Ranma's problem.

She said, "She's your wife, Ranma, not a cat. She loves you, and needs your help." Nabiki saw Ranma shudder, and watched as her glowing eye's swirled as out of control emotions washed over the girl's face.

Nabiki leaned in, placing her forehead against Ranma's and said calmly, "Take my strength, and use it to keep the nightmares at bay." With that, she kissed Ranma, and allowed her mind to open completely to the troubled redhead.

Back at the fight, Enema was on the defensive as Shampoo's feline agility made openings for Cologne's precision attacks. She took to the air once more to get out of range of the Matriarch's attacks, but Shampoo heaved with all her might, leaping up after her. Claw met claw once more, but this time, Enema was ready for Shampoo's animalistic assault.

Spinning in mid air, she redirected the cat girl's momentum back towards the ground, and threw Shampoo away with all her might, accelerating her upwards as the young warrior dropped back to the ground. Enema continued her spin in the air, and drew a set of throwing knives from under the remains of her battle torn clothing and pitched them after the blue haired feline.

Shampoo used her new agility to avoid the strikes, but one made contact with her side, and she went down in pain as the blade buried itself in her. Cologne was instantly at her side and easing the girl down, inspecting the wound, and Enema was considering targeting her for one last strike before leaving, but a sense of unease alerted her to something else in the night sky.

The air around her seemed to warm slightly, and she turned to face a new threat. A red light washed over her, and she saw Ranma once more in the air, hands ablaze.

Ranma spoke softly, but could be clearly heard as resonance made Enema's stomach churn, "You hurt those around me, you try to kill me, and now you run away? You are a coward, and a disgrace to our tribe."

"I'll not be talked to by some outsider," Enema screamed, "I'll wash my hands in your blood!"

"Want some," Ranma whispered, "Come get some."

Enema tightened herself into a ball, building up momentum to strike. When she pulled her limbs away to regain control, a flash of metal appeared in each claw, knifes aimed at Ranma.

As the Exile streaked in, Ranma pulled back one hand, and the fire covered appendage began to blur.

"Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken revised," Ranma called out, "REQUIEM OF THE DAMNED!!!"

One hundred fireballs shot from Ranma and cleared the distance between her and Enema in less then the blink of an eye. The staccato of explosions ripped through the night, lighting the sky and shaking trees across the valley. On the ground, Cologne covered her ears and fought not to pass out from the pressure wave that hit her as she tended to her granddaughter's wounds.

As the firestorm above ended, a smoking Ranma fell to earth. In her wake, there remained no sign of the exiled Amazon. Cologne left her granddaughter to catch the falling demon, and gently set her down.

"Did we win," Ranma asked softly as she opened her eyes to see Cologne standing above her.

The Matriarch answered, "Yes, child. Now rest."

"Are Shampoo and Nabiki safe?"

Cologne sighed, but kept her voice strong, "Yes."

Ranma smiled and drifted to sleep. Cologne picked the demon girl up and carried her over to lie next to Shampoo. Next she moved over to a very pale Nabiki; barely awake but still aware enough to note the Elder's approach.

"How bad is it," the girl asked.

Cologne nodded, "Ranma has passed out, and may take some time to recover. The dagger that struck Shampoo missed any vital points, but the blade was poisoned. I am going to take her back to the village first, then send help for the two of you. Will you be all right?"

"No," Nabiki answered weakly, "But I can hold it together until you get back. Just help me over to Ranma." Cologne nodded again and carried the Tendo girl to Ranma's side, then picked her transformed heir up again and bounded away at near reckless speed.

_These children continue to surprise me, _Cologne thought as she traversed the distance to the Amazon village, _The fates chose well finding that Nabiki girl for Ranma. She has insight and wisdom. Add to that her…power, and she will be formidable._ She looked down at the strange half human, half cat in her arms and frowned sadly. _If only I was a little younger, this would not have happened._

She shook herself, dismissing recriminations as she approached the village gates. She called out to the guards, ordering them to retrieve the other fallen girls, and rushed into the village proper, seeking the healer's hut.

The night stretched on, and Ranma and Nabiki were brought into the village as well. They were placed in Shampoo's hut to rest on Cologne's orders as she aided the healer with the transformed warrior girl.

Darkness was slowly devoured by light as the sun rose in the east, but still the three teenagers remained oblivious to the passage of time. Finally, Cologne retreated from the healer's, reassured that her blood kin would survive, and the old woman, feeling all her years ducked in to check on the redhead, and her Japanese fiancé.

Both girls were sleeping heavily, and Cologne sat on one of the chairs near a window, drawing out a long stemmed pipe and lighting it. Quietly she blew smoke rings out the window, a pensive look on her face, as the hours passed.

Just past the mid day, Ranma slowly awoke; turning her head slightly to see Cologne perched across the room.

"Hi, Granny," the redhead said quietly, "I'm home."

Cologne smiled, "Welcome home, son in law." She waved to Ranma to stay still and hopped down, moving the chair next to the bed so she could speak with the girl.

"Where are Shampoo and Nabiki," Ranma started.

Cologne pointed to Ranma's other side, and the redhead turned to see Nabiki asleep next to her in the bed.

"Shampoo is being tended to," Cologne said, "She was injured during the fight, but she will be fine." Ranma tensed at the news of her wife's injury, but relaxed with the Elder's reassurance.

Ranma asked, "Is she really a…c…c…c…"

Cologne looked on as Ranma stammered, "What is it, child? What grips your heart so?"

"Damn it Pops," the demon growled low, "When I was a kid, he decided I needed to be trained in some invincible technique. The n…n…Neko-ken. I learned the blasted thing, but…"

"I know of the style," Cologne said, "And I am amazed you survived, but I also know the price. I'm sorry Ranma; it seems that Enema got her revenge after all."

Ranma almost shouted, "No!" She turned to make sure Nabiki was still asleep, and then continued, "I will not give up. I'm finally getting control of my life, and I won't be stopped by this. There has to be a way to beat it, at least that's what Nabiki said."

The Matriarch gave a small smile, "If it were anyone else but you I'd never believe them. But as you told Enema, impossible means nothing to you. You and Shampoo make this old woman proud." Ranma nodded at the compliment. "Now tell me, what has transpired since you left us?"

Ranma began the tale. She told of the trip back to Japan, and the meeting of the Tendos. She spoke about how Nabiki was already planning ahead when she agreed to the arranged marriage, looking for a way to outwit their fathers. And then how those plans were made moot as the two began to find attraction, and even love for each other.

The redhead spoke about Nabiki's own power, and how they had shared minds to fight back Ranma's inner demons, and how Nabiki had even faced down an angry Genma when Ranma was in a weakened state. She talked about the trouble they had gotten into together, from Ryoga and Kuno, to the strange battle with Kodachi and the revelations of Nabiki's sister's past.

Ranma was frank about her feelings and reactions, trusting the old Amazon far more then her own kin, and found that telling the tale of her time in Nerima was somewhat cathartic for her. By the time she told of Shampoo's lethal arrival, and her own fight with her father, the sometimes girl felt a weight lifted off her shoulders.

"Quite a story, my child," Cologne said as Ranma finished.

"And she left out all the juicy bits," Nabiki chimed in.

Ranma turned and looked at her awake fiancé, then gave the taller girl a massive hug, "I was so worried about you. When did you wake up?"

"About halfway through Ryoga, just before he saw you change forms. It's a good story, so I let you finish it," Nabiki answered. She turned to Cologne and smiled, "Hope it was entertaining."

"Indeed," the Matriarch chuckled, "Makes me wish I was young again so I could join in on the fun, but for now I am content to know that my son in law found someone understanding of his nature, and of his commitment to this tribe."

Nabiki smirked, "Just can't say no to the big lug, that's all. Plus, Shampoo said that I could become part of the tribe, and I'm getting to like the idea of being a kick ass warrior girl. Taking jerks like the Golden Pair down a peg was fun."

"That's because you didn't hit the wall," Ranma winced in memory.

Cologne's chuckle turned into a full laugh as she watched the two young lovers, "We shall see, Nabiki Tendo. We shall see indeed."

Far away from the village, a heavily burned, barely breathing form crawled its way through the forest. Enema let out a wheezing cry as she dragged a broken, charred leg behind her. Soon the pain became too much, and she collapsed on to the ground. Fighting to keep her wits about her, she forced all that she was into fighting down the pain so she could continue on.

Burns covered her body, and the membrane of her wings was no longer present. Aside from the broken leg, she guessed that several ribs, her right hand, and her jaw had also been broken, not to mention the bruising and cuts that covered her body. Her hair was gone, and one eye was swollen shut as well.

Ranma's attack had not killed her, but it wasn't for lack of trying.

She surmised that the only reason she was still breathing was because Ranma had worn herself out in the desperate escape from the Chinese military base only a few hours before their fight.

Enema cursed herself for underestimating the teenagers back there. She had not figured that they would pose a threat with all those men aiming guns at them, but even with knowledge about Shampoo's skill and Ranma's power, she was caught off guard with their escape.

_Somehow, I missed something, _she thought. _Could that slip of an outsider girl have done something?_

She tried to recall the Japanese girl, and remembered a light of intelligence in her eyes, and a self assured smirk on her face just before the girls made their break. Somehow this person, who had no sign of being a warrior, had managed to break the teens out of their bindings. Enema resolved to learn more. More about this Nabiki Tendo, more about Ranma's training, and more about Shampoo's new form.

That is, if she managed to survive.

"No," she rasped, "I will not fail. I will not lose to that outsider whore. I will not die!"

"No, the Boatman will not take you today, child."

Enema turned her head slowly, and saw a cloaked figure sitting on a nearby tree stump. The figure stood and pulled back its hood to reveal a beautiful, pale female face, topped with long, white hair.

The woman walked over to Enema, "I saw your battle, and was surprised that what drew me to this little piece of nowhere was your opponent. When I told him that she was awake after all these years, you can imagine his surprise."

"I am an Elder of the Amazons," Enema growled weakly as she attempted to stand, "You will address me with respect."

The woman pushed Enema off balance with one finger, and laughed, "You are a burnt husk of cattle, and you have no concept of the powers at work here. But I am still willing to offer you a deal. I will save your insignificant existence, and in return you will become a tool for your new master."

"I serve no one."

The white haired woman gave an evil smile, "Who said I was giving you a choice?"

With that, she opened her cloak, showing that underneath was a series of white leather straps that criss-crossed her body. From one of these straps, she pulled a wickedly curved blade made of black metal, and drove it into Enema's heart. Purple lightning arced around the woods as black flames began to consume the exiled Amazon. The lightning increased in intensity as the fire devoured the last of her form, and there was a loud, soul ripping scream that echoed through the trees.

The flames finally died down, and Enema found herself once more whole. She stood easily, light ash dropping from her nude body as she flexed her young, clawless, limbs. Looking, she saw that her old wings were gone, but her age had not changed from its transformed state. With sudden realization, she felt two more appendages along her back, and turned to see a pair of new wings so much like Ranma's own.

The tall, pale woman strode forward once again, laying her hand on Enema's bare skin, just above the joining of her legs. For a moment, there was a burning sensation, and Enema pulled away, looking down at herself. She bent slightly and saw a small burn mark just above her hairless sex. It took the shape of a bizarre character she did not recognize, and she looked up angrily at the woman who did this to her.

"That is the mark of my father, the one you serve," the stranger said calmly, "It binds you to his will, and the will of those he deems worthy."

Enema lashed out with a massive punch aimed at the woman's face, but it stopped short, her arm trembling as pain erupted in her head. Wincing, she pulled back as the pale woman laughed.

"You are not a full demon, just a servant of one far greater then you. Do not forget that," she said. She turned away and called into the woods, "Alexis, come out and meet our plaything."

"Oh, come on," a younger voice answered from above, "I was just getting comfortable. Why did ya have to go and interrupt my nap?" The pale woman winced and pinched the bridge of her nose as a smaller girl dropped from the trees above.

She looked to be a teenager, and her clothing reflected it with a pair of denim shorts and a red windbreaker that hung open showing a midriff bearing tee shirt proclaiming 'VADER WAS FRAMED'. She had boy cut pink hair stuffed under a baseball cap, and a look of utter boredom on her face.

"So this is the kid that big Sis kicked the crap out of?"

Enema hissed, "Who do you think you're addressing, brat?"

Alexis snorted, "A hundred year old shriveled monkey virgin who pretends to be one of us, duh. Why did you save this overripe fruit anyway, Dizzy?"

The pale woman shouted, "My name is Despair you twit, not Dizzy!" She took a few cleansing breaths and continued, "We need information if we're to retrieve our sister, don't we. After all, Father wanted us to be sure."

Alexis pantomimed throwing up and shrugged, "Whatever. Look, I'd love to stay and watch you break in the new slave girl, but I am b o r e d out her in the middle of East Assfuck. Can I go home now?"

Despair sighed, "Yes, yes. After all, Father wants to question this one personally."

"Ouch," the teenage looking demon said, rubbing her posterior.

The pale woman turned back to a suddenly worried Enema and smiled, "You will tell him all about our little Amnara, of course."

With a flash of dark light, the three of them disappeared, leaving the stillness of the woods behind.

To be continued.


	22. Three Trials of Mind, Body, and Soul

Author's Note: The NWC and the situations they found themselves in were the work of Rumiko Takahashi and were distributed by Kitty and Viz. I use them without permission, but with humble respect for those before me, and I write this with no intent to profit from the efforts of others. There is sex, there is violence, and some foul language. If any of these offend or you are a minor, be gone with ye, tis not for you.

P.S.: by now you know I do this for Janice.

"So that's everything that's happened," Nabiki said, her voice distorted by the phone as she called from China. Kasumi held the receiver close so she could make out what her sister said, and even then she had trouble believing what she was hearing.

Speaking clearly into the phone she answered, "I'm just glad the three of you are more or less all right. How are you holding up?"

"I'm worried about Ranma. She's been in and out ever since the fight with Enema," Nabiki said, "Sometimes she's normal, then she drifts into this funk. Throw in the whole cat thing with Shampoo, and I'm starting to think she's right on the edge. I hate to admit it, but I need some advice here, Sis."

Kasumi paused for a moment, then said, "It seems like Elder Cologne has a point. Ranma is generally a kind person, so the idea that she killed someone, even an enemy, is probably causing her great pain. I'm sorry, but I think Ranma will have to face this problem on her own. It's as Father always says…"

"The path of a martial artist is fraught with peril," the two girls intoned at the same time, then chuckled lightly.

Kasumi continued, "Just be there to support her, that's all I can say."

"Thanks, Sis," Nabiki sighed, "I better get going. I don't want to run the bill up too much. Give my love to Dad and Akane, and let them know we'll be back in a couple of weeks."

The sisters exchanged goodbyes and Kasumi placed the handset back on its cradle. Walking back out to the dojo, she contemplated the changes in her life since the whirlwind known as Ranma entered their house. Only a short time ago, she had been content to live as a simple housekeeper, forgetting about all she had done in the past so her sisters could have a future. Now Nabiki had a relationship with Ranma, and Akane was still seeing her therapist.

It was time to start thinking about what she wanted.

She had her past dragged up, and now was training her unwelcome legacy, but she found it to be enjoyable, despite her attempt to leave that world behind her. In addition her love life was also at a standstill due to Doctor Tofu's continued antics in her presence. And leaving was out of the question still, after all someone needed to protect her father from himself.

Entering the dojo, she found Kodachi as she had left the gymnast, hog tied on the floor with her spandex covered ass sticking in the air.

"All right," Kasumi sighed, "Let's take it from the top." With that, she retrieved a simple riding crop from the floor next to the blushing teen and closing the dojo door.

On the porch to the house, Soun sat, ignoring the world around him as he continued to fail to come to terms with how…liberal his daughters were.

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 22

Three Trials of Mind, Body, and Soul

Nabiki sat down next to Shampoo as the blue haired girl lay with a bandage over her wounded side. The smell of healing herbs filled the hut as the Amazon girl convalesced. Nabiki held the feline like hand of her friend and told Shampoo of Ranma's reaction.

"It isn't your fault, Shampoo," Nabiki said softly, "It's just one more thing we have to blame Genma for. The list is really starting to pile up though."

Shampoo grunted, "He really prove Amazon beliefs that men are weak. But still, Shampoo no want to see husband in fear. Is there nothing we can do?" Shampoo's transformed body seemed to sag at the thought of losing Ranma, and the rolling of the r's with her now cat-like tongue only added to her worry about Ranma's Neko-ken induced fear.

"Believe me, Shampoo, I'm not about to let the lug give up. She's sitting outside right now, trying to fight it and see you. She's willing to do anything to overcome this," the Tendo girl answered Shampoo.

Nabiki hated to admit it, but she felt a little jealousy at the thought of Ranma giving so much just to see the Amazon. She hoped that the redhead demon would do the same for her, but the nagging in the back of her mind refused to be silent. Taking a deep breath, Nabiki calmed herself and used her mind to contact Ranma outside.

"_Are you ready to give this a try?"_

A mentally jumbled voice returned, _"Ready as I'll ever be."_

Nabiki opened her eyes and gave a smile to Shampoo, then closed them again and focused deeper inward. She reached out to Ranma's mind and began to try and brace her against the gnawing fear that was even now trying to find purchase. Braced and focused, Nabiki signaled Ranma to give it a try.

Ranma's head slowly entered the hut, eyes closed. After a moment, she moved a visibly shaking body in and stood in the doorway. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and looked at her injured Amazon wife. Nabiki was rocked back by the fear as it suddenly went from a low buzz to an unstoppable roar, but she refused to give in easily, and fought back by forcing Ranma's mind to recognize the feline form of Shampoo now as the same as her pre-curse state. She knew it wouldn't hold long, and quickly sent this to Ranma.

Forcing herself not to weep at her own weakness, Ranma slowly moved to sit beside Nabiki at Shampoo's bedside. For a moment, she thought about taking her wife's hand in her own, but she looked down and saw the new claws on the hand, and forced herself to look up and away to keep the panic down.

"Arrren," Shampoo lowly purred, causing Ranma to wince, "You are strong, and I know your love. You can overcome this."

"I don't know, Shampoo," the redhead croaked out, "I failed you out there yesterday, and I just can't live with myself like this. I don't know how you or Nabiki can put up with me like this. Like a coward."

Shampoo took Ranma's shaking hand in hers, careful to avoid using her claws, and said, "You are no coward. And you no fail us." She saw the guilt still in Ranma's eyes and asked, "Why do you think you fail?"

"You're cursed, and stuck at that. And Enema…I know she had it coming, but….I didn't want to…"

She felt Shampoo's hand close on hers as Nabiki's landed on her shoulder to offer additional support. Ranma collected herself and nodded her thanks to the other girls. Sighing, she looked into Nabiki's eyes and gauged how much time she had left before the psychic barrier started to weaken, then turned to look into Shampoo's green, cat-like, eyes.

"I won't give up," Ranma swore, "No matter what it takes I'll never fail the two of you again." With that she stood and headed out of the hut, leaving her loves watching her go. She marched out of the village and to a small clearing some distance away. Falling to her knees, she let tears fall from her eyes as the full impact of how much her life was spiraling out of control came crashing in.

"Does it seem so hopeless, Ranma?"

The demon girl turned and saw Cologne standing at the edge of the clearing, staff in hand. She quickly wiped her eyes and stood before the Matriarch, her head bowed in shame. Cologne approached the downtrodden girl and considered her. Suddenly she jumped up and used her walking stick to club Ranma on the head.

The redhead reeled back, rubbing her head, and barked, "What ya do that for?!"

Cologne snorted, "I though it would help shake you out of that useless depression you were forcing yourself into. If I tried to teach you one thing, it was that you can take control of your destiny. Do you wish the idiocy of your father's training to take that control from you?"

"Of course not, but Shampoo is stuck like that. And as long as she is, I'm scared to death of her." Ranma growled in frustration, and then asked, "Do you know some way to undo the Neko-ken?"

"Unfortunately not," Cologne admitted, "But you will be happy to hear that she is not stuck in her curse form."

"But I thought Enema used some kind of pressure point to lock the curse?"

Cologne nodded, "She did, but one of the clans in the village has developed a counter to this attack. And after that, I may even have a way for you to bypass your fear with Shampoo."

Instantly, Ranma went from glum to cheerful as she picked up the old woman and spun her around in a hug, "That's great Granny! I knew you were the best." Once Ranma deposited Cologne on the ground again, the old woman fought down a smile at the mercurial nature of her young student and straightened her robes.

"It's not so easy, my child," she continued, "There is a complication of a personal nature with this particular family. The youngest son of the clan has had…let us say, a crush on my granddaughter. When he learned about Shampoo's marriage to an outsider, he did not take it well."

Ranma frowned, "I thought males didn't hold standing."

"Normally they don't, but the Elder of the family has no female heirs, and so trained her grandson. He is a spoiled child, and has challenged tradition at every opportunity. Fortunately, his bids to win Shampoo's heart have all ended in failure, and none of his marriage challenges have been successful. He did not accept his defeat gracefully and has continued to challenge her. I very much doubt he will be willing to help you."

"I can always try the direct approach," Ranma said, slapping one fist into her other palm and cracking her knuckles.

Cologne chuckled at Ranma's directness, and told the redhead that she would arrange a meeting with the clan elder and her grandson. She left Ranma to her preparations and returned to the village to see Nabiki standing and gazing at the challenge log. Seeing her granddaughter's other companion was also troubled, she hopped over and stood quietly next to the thoughtful girl.

"This is where it began after Jusenkyo," the Tendo girl said softly. Cologne did not bother responding and waited for the girl to continue. "They care about each other so much, and every time something happens it seems like I'm slipping further behind."

Cologne spoke, "Ranma does love you though."

"I know, he said so himself. That doesn't make it any easier. They share that warrior's bond that I'll never understand," Nabiki sighed and finished, "I wasn't raised to be a fighter like them."

"And now you are saddened by their pain?"

Nabiki winced, "I can't help it. Ranma has wormed his way into every part of my life, and Shampoo is a part of that. Now I can feel their pain over the whole Neko-ken thing. It's like I'm being crushed between two floods."

"In the end though," Cologne said quietly, "it may be you that will save them both."

Nabiki looked down at the old Amazon and asked, "By using my power to create mental barriers for Ranma? I can't keep that up forever you know."

"Yes I do. But that is not what I meant." Cologne took a deep breath and explained, "There are ancient rites for the bonding of demons. Such knowledge is considered taboo or fable by the outside world, but you know better. A bonding between the three of you will not only allow Ranma to overcome her fear of Shampoo's cursed form, but will draw the three of you closer together. They will understand your pain as well, and you will never be left behind."

Nabiki considered the Elder's words and asked, "What's the catch?"

"You are not an Amazon," Cologne said, "And by out laws are not worthy of such a union. It is because of Ranma's position in the tribe that you have been treated as courteously as you have been, but surely you have felt the village watching you."

"Yes," Nabiki said, "So how do I become an Amazon?"

Cologne turned to face the young woman and spoke solemnly, "It is no little thing you ask. First you must be adopted into the tribe by a sponsor, and if you wish to join with Ranma, it can not be her. Secondly, you must undergo a trial of combat, for the tribe will not accept a weak outsider into its ranks. And finally I must bring you before the Council, and we will judge your position within the tribe. Seeing as you are loved by the Chosen One, I doubt you will have difficulty finding support in the Council."

"Can Shampoo sponsor me?"

Cologne nodded, "Yes, and I'm guessing that she will. With the tribe's champion as your sponsor things will go fairly smoothly."

Nabiki smiled lightly, and then asked, "Who will I have to fight in the challenge?"

"A challenger will come forward from the tribe to see if you are worthy. If none step forward it means the tribe has already accepted you. And don't worry; the Kiss of Death will be suspended for this official challenge."

Nabiki sighed in relief at this bit of information. She knew that Amazons were very persistent about their honor, and to have one chase her across the country for it did not sit well with her. Of course that left the problem of the challenge itself. Even with Ranma's coaching and the experience of the last few weeks, Nabiki still didn't think she was up to snuff on her hand to hand abilities. It had only been her mental powers that had seen her through.

But then again, she had kept saying that she fought differently then her agile fiancé, or her powerful Amazon girlfriend.

"Let's do it."

Cologne led Nabiki back to Shampoo's hut, where the transformed warrior gladly agreed to sponsor Nabiki, "She save Shampoo's life by helping break mind free, then by helping against soldiers. We stand as sisters, and can be true sister wives to Ranma."

"Are you sure about this, Shampoo," Nabiki asked, "I mean, you've only known me for a week now."

Shampoo took Nabiki's hand in her own, "Just as you knew Ranma for so little time and fell in love, and I did the same. We are good good friends, and we share love with Ranma. Is only right we sisters. And you already prove yourself to me."

"Then I will schedule Nabiki's challenge," Cologne proclaimed, "but for now, I must attend to other matters. Ranma may also have a challenge on her hands. She is going to attempt to retrieve the Phoenix Pill from clan Su."

Nabiki looked at the diminutive Elder and asked, "What is a Phoenix Pill?"

"It is a powerful elixir that allows whoever takes it to withstand great heat. As Shampoo's curse is locked by a pressure point that makes hot water almost deadly to her, this is our only option to counter the lock. Once Shampoo is able to regain human form, we can see about making Ranma's fear less of a problem." With that, the Matriarch left the two girls.

"Thanks," Nabiki said, "It means a lot that you are willing to trust me as part of the tribe, Shampoo, and as another mate to Ranma. I just hope that whatever your Granny has planned works."

Shampoo gave a toothy smile, showing her feline teeth, "Grandmother very sneaky. She maybe set us up as example to rest of Council that she still have strong allies. But she also show great honor by trusting Shampoo's judgment about you. No let Shampoo down now."

Nabiki smirked, "I'm going to bat to prove myself, and I've never lost when something like that is on the line." She glanced at the bandage on Shampoo's side and asked, "Do you think you'll be up and about by the time I have to jump on that log?"

The warrior cat girl lightly padded the covered wound and answered, "Poison is gone now, and wound healing nicely. Tomorrow should be good as new and can watch sister wife fight challenge."

Nabiki smiled and leaned over the feline warrior. She lowered herself down and gave Shampoo a kiss that deepened as the transformed girl began to purr lightly into Nabiki's mouth. The rough tongue that invaded Nabiki's mouth surprised her, but she found its texture an interesting twist, and wondered what the Amazon could do now with her face between Nabiki's legs.

She shook off that thought and ended the warm kiss, trailing her hand along Shampoo's jaw and down to her breast, placing her palm above the heart of the warrior girl.

"I promise you," she said solemnly, "I won't let you, or Ranma, down."

"You better not," a voice said from the doorway. Nabiki and Shampoo turned to see Ranma framed in the entry, a blindfold around her eyes. "After all, if you want to be part of this dysfunctional Amazon family, you can never quit, no matter what."

"Nice blindfold," Nabiki smirked.

"I'm not going to let a little thing like fear get in my way," the redhead said with resolve.

She began to walk into the hut, a smirk on her face, which was promptly removed when she slammed her shin into Shampoo's bed. The redhead grabbed the injured leg and hopped around the room, cursing in the little Mandarin that she had picked up from her time in the village, and her own native Japanese.

"Shampoo, you moved the damn bed!"

The cat girl grunted "Is new bed. Old one almost broken after you leave village. Took time to redecorate. Husband should not complain."

"Oh good lord," Nabiki said, her head in her hands, "Please tell me that this isn't what domestic life is going to be like."

Over the next few hours the three girls talked about the idea of a demonic bonding. Shampoo was more then willing, especially if it allowed her to be close to Ranma even in her curse form. Nabiki was hesitant, and explained this not as fear of Ranma's demonic nature, but fear of her father's reaction to even the slightest hint that Nabiki and Ranma had become even closer. An instant wedding without a doubt.

While neither teen was truly opposed to marriage, Nabiki pointed out that they also were not ready for what that meant in the evolving culture of Japan. Especially with a Chinese national already married to Ranma and the redhead's own dual nature. The three decided that until Nabiki could figure out the many puzzles involved in their situation they would hold off on any official ceremony for the time being.

No matter what Mister Tendo thought on the subject.

The next day, Nabiki stood on the challenge log, attired in a basic Amazon short dress, or as Ranma called it, a long shirt with nice lines. It was deep green with a simple red and blue swirl over her heart representing her ties to Ranma and Shampoo. She felt fairly rested, and Ranma had even managed to stay in the same room as her and Shampoo by keeping the blindfold on.

There was a little trouble in the morning when Ranma had reflexively taken off the blindfold, but Nabiki had quickly calmed the redhead, who now stood next to a cloaked Shampoo. The cat girl insisted on coming out to see Nabiki's challenge, and had worn the cloak to keep Ranma from freaking out. Ranma was holding up well, even letting Shampoo put her arm around hers. The only sign of distress was her ponytail sticking straight out.

Both the girls gave Nabiki a thumbs up as Cologne addressed the crowd of villagers, "Nabiki Tendo has traveled with our Champion across the wilds and through adversity. She had also stood by the Chosen One during times of conflict and doubt. Now she wishes to join with our tribe. She asks that any who oppose her place as a sister step forward now to meet her in combat."

Nabiki looked around her, taking a measure of the crowd. While there were a few less then subtle glares, no one stepped forward for the challenge. It seemed that the reputation of Shampoo and Ranma served her well in this case. She gave a small smile to the other teens as Cologne nodded her approval, but before she could signal Nabiki to jump down, a shadow fell over her and a form landed opposite her on the log.

Ranma and Shampoo were struck with a sense of déjà vu, but this time it was not a transformed, crazed Elder that appeared, but a tall boy with long white robes and a snarl of hate on his face.

"Mousse," Shampoo snarled.

"Correct, my darling Shampoo," the boy stated, "And once I've dealt with your so called husband, we can wed at last." He pointed at Nabiki and yelled, "Ranma Saotome, I challenge you!"

Ranma blinked, "Um…I'm down here with Shampoo."

Mousse blinked, then drew a pair of thick glasses out of his sleeves and put them on. He looked around, seeing the entire village in attendance. He then turned to look at who he had pointed at and saw a strange outsider girl.

"I'm sorry miss," Mousse said, "But I don't have time to fight a weak little girl like you. I have to go destroy Saotome and make Shampoo happy." He attempted to jump off the log at Ranma, but Cologne slammed her staff into his stomach.

"Idiot," the Matriarch snarled, "You just formally challenged an initiate sister. Shampoo is her sponsor and the Chosen One is her mate. And now you have the nerve to jump away and dishonor the tribe by your actions?"

Mousse looked confused, "Well I just thought…"

"You dumb fuck," snarled Nabiki, "Elder, please tell me that this doesn't count."

Cologne shook her head, "Even worse, while the Kiss of Death has been suspended, the Kiss of Marriage is valid. No male has ever challenged, so it wasn't in the rules. You must fight him, and if you lose you will be part of the tribe, but only as this fool's wife."

"I don't want some ugly outsider," Mouse declared, "Shampoo is destined to be my wife!"

A wave of cold suddenly swept down his spine, and he turned back to face his unintentional opponent. Air distorted around her and an aura of power could be felt pressing into his chest.

With glacial intent, Nabiki asked a simple question, "Did you just call me ugly?"

Sensing the anger coming off Nabiki, Ranma grabbed Shampoo's arm and began dragging her away from the log and behind the nearest hut, "Better start this thing, Granny!"

Cologne blinked, but dropped her hand as a signal to start anyway.

Instantly the distorted air around Nabiki seemed to rush forward and slam into Mousse. The Amazon boy was reeled by the impact and went crashing into the support post behind him. Shaking his head and pulling himself out of the splintered indent in the wood, he evaluated anew the strange girl opposite him.

Her stance was wide open, and resembled nothing like a martial arts stance, she seemed to simply be standing there, but she had used such a powerful attack that he did not even see. It was time to go on the offensive before she could react.

He charged, yelling, "Fist of the White Swan!"

Nabiki stumbled back; trying desperately to remember everything Ranma had shown her and managed to get into her first stance, a Tendo School defensive stance that her father had taught her so long ago. The blow came faster then she could track, and felt like a ton of bricks on her crossed arms. She flew back into the post, making an impact that mirrored Mousse's own. The attack came again, and Nabiki realized that Mousse was intent on killing her. She could see his mind clearly, and fell into it as the attack came closer.

The outsider girl would fall, and then a broken Saotome would be beaten by his superior skill. As he stood above the outsiders, Shampoo would at long last acknowledge him, and take him into her heart. Mousse would be known as the first male in Amazon history to be recognized as a true equal.

As the blow was about to land Nabiki snapped a force field into place, blocking the strike. She warped the field at the point of impact to grip at Mousse, and almost fell off the log in shock when she saw what the boy was using as a weapon.

A duck shaped training toilet hung suspended in mid air, Mousse straining to pull it away from the mental grip that held it in place. Nabiki's first thought was to wonder how the boy had fit the large object into his robes. Then she realized that it didn't really matter because the Amazon had just tried to hit her with a training potty. Shaking at the indignity of it, Nabiki mentally crushed the offensive plastic construct making Mousse lose his balance for a moment.

Her hair once more swirling around her, she slid forward along the log while the tall boy was distracted. Concentrating all her telekinetic power in one blow, she launched a haymaker straight at Mousse's head. As it connected, a shockwave rippled in the air around them, knocking nearby spectators to the ground as Mousse became airborne. The boy was sent spinning through the remnants of the support for the challenge log, and crashed through the hut behind it, landing in a pile of rubble.

Hovering in mid air above the downed log, Nabiki yelled out, "And stay down! Freaky creep tossing toilets at people…"

Covering themselves behind another hut, Ranma and Shampoo stared in wonder at the psychic girl as she lowered herself onto the broken log.

"Remind me never to get on her bad side," Ranma said quietly, to which Shampoo nodded emphatically.

Cologne moved to the center of the plaza once more and raised her hands, "The challenge has been answered! Nabiki Tendo is a sister to this tribe! Rejoice as our family grows!" There was a scattering of cheers and applause from the villagers who had stayed nearby for Nabiki's telekinetic tantrum, and the girl had calmed down enough to accept them with a bow before jumping off the tilted log and running over to Ranma and Shampoo.

Giving each girl a hug in turn, Nabiki said, "I guess I made the cut after all."

"Never had a doubt, Nabs," Ranma chirped, then turned serious, "Now I have to go over there and get him to give us something called the Phoenix Pill."

Leaving her two loves to enjoy the victory, Ranma strolled over to the rubble where Mousse was buried. Taking her time, she carefully dug out the Amazon boy, checking him for injury. She found that aside from a full body bruise, Mouse was alright.

"So, can I get that Phoenix Pill for Shampoo now?"

"Why should I help the one who has taken Shampoo from me," the boy asked weakly.

Ranma considered this for a moment and answered, "Because if you don't, I let Nabiki hurt you some more."

"Nothing can equal the pain of rejection you caused me."

The demoness shrugged and said, "I know a guy back in Japan who talks just like you. Do you have the same writer or something? Never mind, I don't want to know. Just stop fooling yourself. If you don't give her damn pill, she'll hate you even more then she does now, and that will piss me off. Haven't you embarrassed the tribe enough for one day?"

"She is right, Mousse," Cologne said as she pogoed up to the prone young man, "Your actions here were disrespectful to our traditions. First you make a challenge to the wrong person, and then you have the idiocy to insult a woman's appearance? Has growing up in this tribe taught you nothing?"

"Fine," Mousse growled. He pulled a small bag out of his robes and held it out for Ranma to take, then he slowly stood and pointed dramatically, "Mark my words, I will defeat you Ranma Saotome, and your witch Nabiki Tendo. Then Shampoo will have no choice but to embrace her destiny by my side!"

"You're pointing at the post," Ranma drawled out.

Mousse pulled his hand back and scratched the side of his head, "I was…indicating where you would fall to me…that's all…" With that, the defeated boy began to stride confidently away. Actually, it was more of a limp. And it didn't help the image any when he tripped over some of the debris, or when he ran into the remaining support.

Ranma could only stare in wonder, "How is a guy like that still alive?"

A short while later, the three teens stood in Shampoo's hut. The Amazon girl was once more in human form, and the girls shared a hug and smiles of happiness.

Cologne stood to one side and spoke as the celebration calmed somewhat, "Now then, as it could become problematic for Ranma to have a fear of her wife, we must deal with the issue of the bonding."

The teens sobered at that, and Nabiki stepped forward, "You mentioned that before the other day. How is this going to work, and what will it do?"

Cologne pulled out her pipe, lit it, and took a log pull. She contemplated the three girls for a moment, seeing the determination in the eyes of each of them. Nabiki stood tall with the other two, having proven to herself that she could be a fighter as well. Shampoo was wearing a smile of pride, and of relief, no doubt caused by her new sister's victory and the claiming of the cure to the curse lock. Ranma simply held the look of someone who had known the outcome of the battle all along.

_No doubt because of her faith in the ones she loves,_ Cologne thought.

Out loud she said, "It is not a procedure to be taken lightly. Ranma will need to infuse each of you with a small amount of her power, imprinting you if you will. The effect will be to mark you as her servants, but the extent of that bond is under her control. Once the process is complete, Ranma will have no need to fear Shampoo's new form as you will be in essence extensions of her own person. It may be painful, and even I do not know all the effects it will have, so the choice is yours." With that she took another long drag off her pipe as the girls considered her words.

Ranma turned to the others and said softly, "You both know this means a lot to me, but I won't ask you to do it if it will hurt you. We've been through a lot together and I'd rather fight my own problems then hurt either of you."

"This make you not fear Shampoo in new body," Shampoo said, "Is no way I will stop when we are close to being family again."

Nabiki shook her head, "And you two jokers are going to need me for this to work. After all, I've got to keep my eye on you two somehow. I'm in."

"Thanks," Ranma simply said, but with a voice heavy with emotion.

Cologne extinguished her pipe and reached into her robe to retrieve a scroll, handing it to Ranma, "This is what you will need to know. It is another part of your ancestor's legacy, and you have earned it. I'll leave you now, as this is a private thing. Good luck to you all." With that she made her way to the door, looking back on the way out with pride at what she saw as the future salvation of her people.

_The champion of a generation, the demon of legend, and an outsider with the mind of an Elder, they are the future now._

As Cologne left, Ranma opened the scroll and studied the contents. Reading it quickly once and then going over it again in detail, Ranma absorbed the information within. Like many meditation techniques she had learned, this ritual was a matter of focus. But instead of seeking her center, or trying to focus her ki, this drew on the strange demonic energy that powered her fire blasts, hypnosis, and flight. Seeing as she had been using these abilities often, Ranma believed that she had an understanding of the energy involved.

Closing the scroll, she looked up at Shampoo and Nabiki, "Are you sure you want this? Once it's done we'll all be tied together, so be sure."

Shampoo and Nabiki nodded, and a short time later, all three girls were nude. Nabiki and Shampoo lay on the floor, pillows under their heads for a modicum of comfort. Ranma knelt between them, her eyes closed in concentration.

After a time Ranma opened her eyes, showing that they were once more glowing a deep blue, and spoke with a low voice that seemed to vibrate the hearts of both prone girls, "I love you both."

With that, Ranma placed a hand on each girl's bare skin, letting it slide down their stomachs to rest above their sex. Focusing inward, Ranma drew on the flame that resided in her own sex, pulling the heat up and into her arms. Careful not to use too much, Ranma molded the fire with her love for the two girls and let it flow down into her hands. She began to mutter in a low voice that could barely be heard. The strange words finished the process, and the fire leapt from Ranma onto Nabiki and Shampoo.

Both girls winced in pain as the fire touched them, searing their flesh, but the pain quickly passed and was replaced with a warm tingling. Nabiki recognized it as the sensation of Ranma's love from the times she had shared her thoughts with the aquatranssexual. The warmth spread from their mound outward, and with it came a euphoric wash of love and pleasure.

Nabiki and Shampoo arched their backs, thrusting their breasts into the air as the warmth consumed them, and released a loud moan that echoed around the small hut. Meanwhile, Ranma also felt a rush as the bond was formed. She felt the connection to her loved ones and for a moment was swept away by the feeling of power over them. On a whim, she let her hands move from where her mark had been made on their skin and slid them between the two girl's legs. She gave a simple command and felt a new wave of power as both girls came simultaneously. Drawing a small amount of energy from them, Ranma then withdrew her hands, holding them up and wondering at the power as Nabiki and Shampoo panted from the sudden release.

She slowly withdrew from the sense of control, reminding herself that she did love the psychic and the warrior. She looked down as the three of them came down from the rush, and her eyes met those of her wife and her fiancé. Feelings of warmth passed between the three of them as Ranma leaned down and gave Shampoo, and then Nabiki a deep kiss in turn, allowing each girl a small portion of her own energy to recover. Shampoo and Nabiki slowly sat up and the three girls held hands and smiled at each other.

Nabiki looked down at the new mark on her abdomen, letting go of Shampoo's hand to lightly trace the shape of the strange character burned into her. Looking back up, she saw that Shampoo had done the same. The Amazon girl then stood, walking over to the table and picking up a small pitcher of water. She turned and looked to Ranma, who held Nabiki's hand for support, and nodded her head.

Shampoo poured a measure of water out on her head, and the transformation swept over her. As her hands and feet enlarged, pink and white fur appeared to cover them. Her ears faded away as new ones came out the top of her head, also covered in white. A slender tail grew behind her, twitching in agitation as the process began to subside. Finally, Shampoo blinked, and her green eyes gained feline slits that looked into Ranma's own demon blue eyes.

For a moment, the redhead shuddered, but the fear passed as she found there was no fear in the image before her, only love. Nabiki, while struck by the erotic image of the cat girl before her also had a presence of mind to monitor Ranma's perceptions. What the Tendo girl found made her smile, as the link seemed to work, smothering out the fear generated by the Neko-ken.

Slowly the demoness stood and walked to Shampoo, embracing the girl in a hug and kissing her deeply. Ranma then stood back and took in Shampoo's appearance, gazing with eyes of a lover instead of eyes of fear for the first time.

"You are totally hot," whispered Ranma as she let one hand glide up to cup Shampoo's face and leaned in again to deliver another searing kiss.

Nabiki agreed heartily, but stood and spoke softly, "Not to be a party pooper, but there is one more thing we should check." She took a tea kettle from the table and held it up for Ranma to see.

With a sigh, the redhead allowed Nabiki to change her back to his birth form. When the transformation was complete, Ranma looked once more at Shampoo, and froze in fear.

"It…it's…n…not…wor…working…"

Ranma closed his eyes and began to breathe deeply to focus and hold back the fear. Shampoo and Nabiki both hung their heads in disappointment at the result. It was when they were looking down that Nabiki looked over at Shampoo again and noticed something.

"The mark is gone," she said, reaching out to touch the spot where the demonic character was supposed to be. She also checked her own skin, which was also unmarred.

Thinking fast, Nabiki took the cold water pitcher from Shampoo and poured it on Ranma, changing the shaking male back to demon form. She looked at Shampoo again and saw that Ranma's mark had returned.

"So that's how it works," she muttered. The two semi-human girls looked at her and she elaborated, "It's Ranma's demon side that power the bond. When he changed back that power went away and the Neko-ken had an opening."

Ranma slumped into a chair and groaned, "You almost talk like the damn thing is alive."

Nabiki knelt before her and replied, "In a very real way it is. It's your own mind fighting itself. Think about when you confronted Amnara inside your mind, the Neko-ken is like that, only much stronger because it's been with you for so long."

"You mean I have another demon inside me?"

Nabiki shook her head, "No, just the mental aspect of the training, it's like a scar that won't heal, but in your mind. That's what trauma is after all, a battle between who you are and what has happened to you."

Ranma shrugged, not really understanding, but she looked up at the two girls with her and found she didn't really care about the complicated stuff at the moment. She reached out to Nabiki and pulled the taller girl into her lap, enjoying the feel of their bare skin touching as the psychic leaned into her. Then Ranma motioned for Shampoo to join them, and the cat girl slid down and over, resting her head on Nabiki's lap while her arms wrapped around the two girls in the chair.

The demoness began to stroke Shampoo's long blue hair, causing the cat girl to purr lightly. Nabiki looked into Ranma's eyes and knew that even with new changes, and the odd situations they found themselves in, one thing would not change about the boy turned succubus.

Ranma would always give one hundred percent of her heart to those she loved.

Far away form the loving trio, Hikaru Gosuinkugi sat in his darkened room under the only light source, a simple desk lamp. He rubbed his eyes warily, but had a smile on his face as he flipped the final page of a large, leather bound tome. His research was almost complete, and all he needed now was to wait for the return of Ranma Saotome.

He knew he had to be cautious; after all one mistake on his part would lead to him facing an angry master martial artist, or cost him his soul. He would make his preparations, place his faux samurai pawn, and make sure all the players were in their places before he mad his move.

"The devil really is in the details," he chuckled to himself as he stared at a picture of a nude Ranma and Nabiki making love in a shower stall.

To be continued.

Endnote: Two thirds of this beast is now posted here on so I have to start thinking about other projects. Polarity is moving along at a glacial pace and I will keep hacking at it until it's done, but what of the future. I've put a poll up on my author page so that you, the readers, have a little input. Your choices are:

OHWP Book 2, a direct continuation of this story (once more with a clean and lemony version over on the Miner).

OHWP/SM Cross, a story taking our favorite redhead sex demon out of Nerima and facing the most famous sailor suited monster hunter team out there (not a fuku fic, Ranma will be interacting with the Senshi as her good old demons self).

Ranma/Half-Life Cross, an older Ranma is one of the few survivors of the NWC and now leads the resistance against the Combine in City 13.

Other, here is the wildcard. I have other ideas, sure, but some of the best ideas I've worked into my stories so far have sometimes come from you, the readers. So send me ideas of what you'd like to read in my style and I'll think about it.

The vote is on, and the choice is yours. And as always I thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading and enjoying my work. For a writer the greatest reward is having people enjoy their work and I think I am a well rewarded writer.

Thank you.


	23. Home Again

Author's Note: The NWC and the situations they found themselves in were the work of Rumiko Takahashi and were distributed by Kitty and Viz. I use them without permission, but with humble respect for those before me, and I write this with no intent to profit from the efforts of others. There is sex, there is violence, and some foul language. If any of these offend or you are a minor, be gone with ye, tis not for you.

P.S.: by now you know I do this for Janice.

"Now this is how to finish a vacation," Ranma exclaimed as she lay back on the deck of the small junk traveling across the Sea of Japan. She was enjoying a moment of sunbathing on the foredeck of the small ship clad in a simple bathing suit she had bought in Beijing before her party began its trek back to Tokyo and Nerima.

She looked around her for a moment, taking in the small crew as they minded their duties while trying to catch glimpses of the bikini clad teenagers at the bow, and she understood their dilemma.

She wore her blue one piece, and it was fairly modest, sure, but it was cut to show off considerable leg and cleavage. To her right, Nabiki reclined in a black bikini with a strapless top. Her sunglasses gave her an untouchable air that made her seem above it all. On Ranma's left, Shampoo was on her front, napping in the sunlight in her red thong. Her bikini top had been removed to avoid tan lines, and Ranma was enjoying the sight of her almost completely uncovered bottom.

What was keeping the crew at bay were two things. Ranma had made it clear to the first seadog that had made a pass at them that she would allow no such thing. The crewman's hand was still bandaged after it had been forcibly removed from Nabiki's posterior. The other thing was that Cologne was with them, and the idea of the Amazon Elder in a swimsuit was enough to turn even the toughest swab off his food for the remainder of the trip.

Turning her own mind away from such things, Ranma simply enjoyed the sun soaking into her body. She knew that tomorrow they would be entering Tokyo harbor, and then a short train ride later they would be home. Cologne had tagged along to make the trip easier with her many connections, and to experience the chaotic nature of Nerima for herself after all Ranma had spoken of.

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 23

Home Again (without Bob Villa)

Nighttime on the ship was the favorite of the girls. They shared a small cabin together, and never once was a thread of clothing worn in it at night. Ranma had her fill of energy at her fingertips and no need to worry about ambushes or attacks so the three of them had feasted each night. Nabiki and Shampoo rode sexual rollercoaster's As Ranma improved her demonic lovemaking skills and the redhead glowed with love and power deep into the nights.

But this night was their last before reaching Japan, and they took more time for lover embraces and warm kisses then before. The sex was still hot and intense, but it was not the focus. Instead it was the bond that had formed between the three of them. And that passion mixed with love lasted long after the moon was high and peace descended on them.

Silently the girls slept, but sleep did not come quickly for Ranma. She lay awake, almost humming with the power she had gained through their coupling. She looked down at the sleeping girls in her arms and thought that her life could not be better.

The warm thoughts and feelings enabled her to guide her mind once more to the land of dreams, but a subtle pressure was at the back of her mind. In the haze of post coitus and half dreaming, she dismissed it, but the warning was clear. Something was bothering her demon blood, and it threatened to spoil the ease she had found at last.

In the morning, as she ran through her kata's on the deck of the ship with an energetic Shampoo and a still sleepy Nabiki, she dismissed the feeling as nerves on her return to her island homeland. It had been over a month since the teens had departed Nerima, and Nabiki had told her that she would be surprised if the ward was still there after all that time.

As they practiced, the Tokyo harbor entrance slowly became visible on the horizon, and seeing it seemed to revitalize Ranma and Nabiki. Even the Elder Cologne had a smile on her face as they passed the marker buoys to enter the heavy traffic of the port.

"This will truly be a first," she told the teens, "An Elder has not traveled to a foreign land for almost two hundred years. It will be interesting to see the lives of those in such a bustling place." As she spoke Cologne gestured out to the city skyline and chuckled, "Such an unbelievable sight. It's no wonder you say the rest of the world would consider us primitive."

Nabiki smirked, "Maybe, but you have no idea how much a lot of people pay to go back to the simple ways every now and then. In the end, everyone seems to want the fast and new, but it's the comfortable and time tested that wind up making people relaxed and happy."

Cologne chuckled, "Simple is best."

After a time, the group set foot on Japanese soil, and after a brief stay in the port's customs office headed out once more. Nabiki led the group back to Nerima, this time on the inside of a passenger train as opposed to the outside as they had traveled across China. The trip was uneventful, and culminated with the four of them standing outside the gates of the Tendo family compound. As the troupe passed through the gates they found Kodachi sweeping the walkway.

The gymnast bowed and greeted them, "Welcome home Lady Ranma, Lady Nabiki. Mistress Kasumi is making a light lunch at the moment and will be glad of your return."

Nabiki boggled and asked, "Um…What are you doing here, Kodachi?"

"In payment for my continued instruction with your sister I have agreed to do a portion of the household chores. She calls this part of my…sensitivity training. Mistress says that if I understand the work that people around me do everyday, I can understand the people better. She calls it the human condition."

Ranma put her hands behind her head and smiled, "That sounds like Kasumi. Maybe I should pitch in too, ya know. As payment for all the trouble around here."

"I may hold you to that, lover mine," Nabiki chuckled and headed inside, "We're back!"

Kasumi quickly came into view and rushed to give her sister a hug, "Nabiki, everyone, welcome home." She released Nabiki and held her at arms length, "Wow, Nabiki. You look so different."

Nabiki blinked, "What do you mean. I've only been gone a month, I can't look that different."

Kasumi smiled, "You do, though. I see it in your eyes. You picked up some new confidence in China, didn't you?"

Nabiki blinked again, wondering at her sister as she moved to greet Ranma and Shampoo back into the house. Kasumi had always been observant, and if she said something like that she truly meant it. Nabiki considered the past month when she had gone from being scared of solders in the back country to fighting Mousse for her pride and for Shampoo's sake.

_I guess I have changed a little, Sis, _she thought to herself. _If I hadn't, I wouldn't be here today._

Ranma separated from the group as Shampoo introduced her grandmother to Kasumi. Heading upstairs, she ducked into the bathroom and quickly doused herself with hot water, changing back into male form. As he walked back out into the hall, Ranma almost ran into Akane, although it took him a moment to realize that it was her.

"Wa…What happened to your hair," he stammered out. Akane did have a new look, the hair that had grown to a length that reached her waist was gone and in its place she had cut it to a length even shorter then Nabiki's pageboy style.

For a moment, Akane reeled back at seeing the boy, and she fought down a knee jerk reaction to insult him. Instead she calmed herself with the techniques she had been learning and answered.

"Dad started training me again, so I felt like I needed a change. Since you're back, I assume that everything went well and my sister is alright?"

Ranma could tell that Akane was forcing down her emotions to be civil and responded softly, "Better then alright. She really helped out in China. If not for her, we would have had a real rough time. She's pretty excited about being home, so I'd go say hi to her before Kasumi smothers her."

The teens both gave a soft chuckle, and Akane headed for the stairs, a smile on her face. Ranma turned away and headed up the hall to the room he had shared with his father after their arrival at the Tendo's. Opening the door, he saw that the room had not changed since his departure for China.

"I sorry, my boy," Ranma turned and saw that Mister Tendo had come up behind him, "It seems I underestimated your father. I've not heard from him since his departure, and I'm starting to wonder if he's up to something."

Ranma shrugged, "He's always up to something. I only hope that…I wish…" Ranma stopped talking, and Soun placed his hand on the boy's shoulder in a comforting gesture.

"He was the only parent you knew for so long, and being rejected like that hurts. Add in the fact that he has hurt you so often, and you are wondering about how to perceive him." Ranma gave the man a questioning look and laughed lightly, "After my daughters reprimanded me so harshly, I decided that Akane would not be the only one to visit my old friend."

Ranma nodded, and then looked back into the empty room, "So what do we do about this?"

"We wait, and hope that your father can see the excellent young man that you have become."

Ranma fought for control over his emotions at that statement. He found the complement from the older man to be a great comfort. And even though he had received many from Nabiki and Shampoo he found that Soun's simple words had a deep impact on him. Soun Tendo tried to be a father first to his daughters, and Ranma found himself wishing that his own father could take lessons from the gentle, if somewhat emotional, man.

Downstairs, Cologne leaned on her staff as the girls chatted away in the sitting room of the Tendo house. When Akane had joined them, the old woman saw Nabiki's eyes light up just a tiny bit more, and the girl launched into a condensed and edited, story of the trip into China. The Matriarch chuckled as the girls hung on her words, and even Shampoo helped by adding her own perspective to the story.

When Ranma returned with the Tendo patriarch, introductions were made. As Cologne took the man's hand and looked into his eyes, she saw a haunted stare behind the brightness of a father welcoming home his daughter. She had seen the look far too often and instantly knew that the man was only just beginning to recover from past tragedy. As she had spoken at length with Nabiki during the stay at the village, she knew that Soun Tendo was an emotional man who fell apart after the death of his wife. She was glad to see that the male was beginning to pull himself together now, for himself and his daughters.

"…and so Nabiki threw this monster haymaker that put him into next Tuesday," Ranma had just added his own view to the story of the stay in the Amazon village, and the Tendo sisters were laughing at his dynamic storytelling style. Ranma pantomimed action as he spoke, and even if Mister Tendo had a frown on his face that his middle daughter was in such dangers, he had a twinkle in his eye that said he was proud of her.

"Ranma right," Shampoo added, "Sister Nabiki stand as proud Amazon that day. She not only beat stupid Mousse, but find cure for Shampoo as well. I very grateful."

"I must say that I'm very proud of these children," Cologne said from her place at the table. Kodachi had just served her tea, and the old woman sipped lightly, nodding her appreciation. "And it is in no small part their influence that has gotten me out of the village to see the world for myself once more."

Kasumi also took a cup of tea, nodding to a blushing Kodachi, "So you have been to Japan before?"

"In my youth I gave into a short bout of wanderlust and traveled to many lands. But I can see that the world outside our mountains has changed more then we realized." Kasumi was about to ask another question, but the old Amazon waved it off, "Today is what is important to me now. Today and tomorrow. It is quite crowded in here, and I do not wish to impose any more then Shampoo already has." The old woman chuckled at that and continued, "My tomorrow is filled with looking for a home, temporary at least, for my old bones."

She stood, and made her way out on to the porch. As she passed Soun, she whispered low, "You have a spy along your east wall." She sat on the porch, pulling out her pipe, lighting it and taking a long drag, then spoke a few words in mandarin. Soun sat still at her words, careful not to react.

Finally he spoke, "Well, it seems like you acquitted yourself well, Nabiki. If Ranma won't take this as an insult to his training, I'd like to evaluate you out in the dojo."

"Daddy, I just got home. Right now I need to stretch out and take a long dip in the tub to get the road out of my pores. I think I'll pass for the moment."

Soun gave her a stern look, "Right now, young lady. You will have more then enough time to relax in a short while. I need to know what my daughter has done with herself for the last month."

Nabiki sighed, and stood. Akane also stood to follow, but Shampoo placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, shaking her head. As Nabiki moved into the yard, her head whipped to the side, and a wave lashed out at the east wall. There was a yelp, and instantly Ranma and Shampoo were on the move.

The pair vaulted out of the house and bounced over the wall. Akane bolted out behind them, confused as to what was going on, and stopped suddenly as a long string of curses echoed over the wall. After a few moments, Ranma and Shampoo came back over the wall, the Amazon helping the boy.

Ranma was still grousing under his breath, and for a good reason, a large metal spike was driven into his shoulder. Nabiki went to his side, cupping water from the koi pond in her hands and splashing him on her way. The change turned Ranma female once again, and Shampoo sharply pulled the protruding spike out. In seconds, Ranma's demonic power healed the wound, but that did nothing to stop the string of muttered curses coming from the redhead.

Akane gasped, "What was all that about?"

Shampoo shrugged, helping Ranma back to the porch, "Pale boy taking pictures of home. Grandmother spot and tell Shampoo and Tendo father."

"I thought to distract out guest by taking Nabiki out," Soun added, "but it seems she had other ideas." The gaze he leveled on his middle daughter was not missed by anyone.

Ranma, however, continued, "When we jumped the fence, this skinny kid that looked like he hadn't seen daylight, or a good meal in years pulled out these spike and hammer set. Next thing I know I'm a pin cushion and he's bailing. Little git can run like nuts too."

"All well and good," Soun said, "And I'm glad that your…abilities have allowed you to heal Ranma. Now then, what I wish to know is why my daughter had developed a rather unusual ability of her own."

The authority in Soun's voice made Nabiki lower her head slightly, and she turned to the others, "I'll talk to him. You see if you can pick up our new friend's trail."

Shampoo nodded, and leaving Ranma to regain her strength, jumped back over the wall, scouting for traces of the fleeing observer. On the porch, the redhead sat next to Cologne, folding her legs and focusing inward to make sure that the damage was truly healed. Cologne nodded at the actions, and took another long pull on her pipe.

Inside, the Tendo's sat down for a family meeting. Soun sat with Akane and Kasumi across from him. Nabiki sat at the end of the table and spoke softly.

"I'm guessing that you noticed when I was using my powers to express my dislike of Genma Saotome." A short nod from Soun confirmed her statement and she continued, "What you saw out there was the effort of almost two months of training." She then spoke about her abilities, leaving out some abilities such as mind control. Soun simply sat and listened. When he asked if the other two sisters knew about these powers, Kasumi nodded.

"Nabiki confided in me shortly after developing her telepathy," Kasumi said, "Ranma had helped her through the first parts, and she needed some advice. I was glad to be able to help her."

Akane shrugged, "I thought it was more weird stuff that happened because of Ranma showing up."

Soun closed his eyes and turned to Nabiki, taking a deep breath. Then he opened them and looked into the eyes of his middle daughter.

"I hope that you have not abused this ability," he stated plainly.

"No, Daddy."

"Then I have nothing to worry about. I know that we live in interesting times now, and I guessed that sooner or later my daughters would be affected." Soun paused, tears welling up in his eyes, "I will have to adapt to all the strangeness as well I suppose."

Nabiki took note of the poorly hidden concern on her father's face and leaned over to whisper at Kasumi, "I thought he said he was going to therapy too?"

Akane leaned in as well, "Looks like he'll need another group session Monday."

Several blocks away, Hikaru Gosuinkugi had made his way back to his secret lair…er, his parent's basement. When the mental blast had hit him, he knew he had less then seconds to react, and had done what came naturally.

Spiking Ranma with a voodoo curse may not have been the best choice at the time, but it bought him the seconds he needed to start running, and that was what he was really good at. Being picked on by bullies, local thugs and gang initiates had shown him that he was less then useless in a fight, but that didn't mean that he couldn't outrun trouble.

He was honestly thinking about joining the track team if the whole demon sorcerer thing didn't pan out.

The price of his retreat was one spike, easily replaced, and a little dignity, no worries there. In the end though, it had been worth it. In his hand he held the key to his master plan, a single tiny scrap of red fabric he had managed to tear off after striking Ranma in the shoulder.

"A personal belonging," he whispered. In excitement, he danced a little jig as he worked his way over to the locked chest where he kept his supplies hidden. Drawing out a notebook, a small jar of bluish powder, and a simple piece of chalk, he began his work.

Checking against his notebook, Hikaru began to outline a circle on the floor with the chalk. A ring of odd characters made up the inner most ring and lines crossed it to form a pentacle star. In the center, he drew the character for 'Ranma'. As he worked, time seemed to flow, and when he looked up it was already late at night.

For a moment, he was worried about Ranma or the girls attached to him finding him before he was ready, but Gosuinkugi believed that they would have difficulty tracking him across Nerima in the hap-hazard manner in which he came to his house. He had seen the blue haired girl stalking along one of his paths, but had made sure that path led to the school, where any track would blend into the hundreds that came and went from the building. In addition he had also doubled back along one of his earlier trips to the Kuno estate, and hoped that that would also throw off the Amazon.

_Besides, _he thought, _Kuno will have to deal with that bunch soon enough. If they think he's involved with spying on the Tendo Dojo they'll brush it off as him being loony._

Satisfied with both his preparations and his work now, Gosuinkugi stood and inspected the circle on the basement floor. Taking the bluish powder, he made a small pile over Ranma's name, and lit a match.

Holding it up he asked himself, "Do I really want to risk myself like this? If I'm wrong, Ranma will beat the shit out of me. And even if I'm right she may still consume my soul. For power, for knowledge, and for my own lusts, do I dare risk everything I am?"

He considered this for a moment as the match burned, then answered, "I'm a loser anyway, so fuck yes."

Dropping the match, and careful not to disturb the circle, he lit the powder. As it ignited, he opened his notebook once more and began to chant in a guttural language. Dark words passed his lips, and as the smoke rose from the small fire in the circle it turned from a light yellow to a dark blue, then a deep black. His chanting came to a crescendo, and he withdrew the red cloth he had obtained as well as a small knife. With a swift motion, he drew blood from his fingertip, only a few drops that landed on the cloth.

Dropping the stained cloth into the fire, Hikaru once more resumed his chant, and as the scrap burst into flame, the smoke began to change its appearance, taking humanoid form.

Back at the Tendo's, Ranma was shook out of her meditation next to Cologne by a sudden pulling sensation. Once more, the tickle in the back of her mind that she had come to notice as her demonic instincts demanded attention.

Nabiki looked over from where she was in deep discussion with her father and saw Ranma's face contort suddenly as a wave of nausea swept over the redhead. The middle Tendo daughter was about to inquire as to what was bothering Ranma, but with a flash of light the demoness was replaced by a rapidly dissipating cloud of sulfur smoke.

"What the hell?"

Akane had asked a very pointed question, and as Nabiki franticly did a mental search for her lover, she had to wonder if this was yet another of Ranma's otherworldly powers manifesting itself. She sent out a psychic call to Shampoo, letting the huntress know what had happened, and the Amazon doubled back to meet with her future sister-wife.

In the occult laboratory of Hikaru Gosuinkugi, the smoke that was slowly taking human form suddenly erupted in flame, and as the fire died, a confused looking Ranma Saotome stood.

"What the hell was that," she wondered aloud.

An answer quickly came from a shadowed corner of the room, "Not quite hell yet, but then again you really don't know that much about what you are, do you?"

Ranma's eyes swirled to red as she growled out, "Who are you?"

"A simple sorcerer that decided to test your power," the unusually timid voice said from the darkness, "I summoned you. As long as you are in that circle, and until I release you, you have to do exactly as I tell you. Do you understand?"

"Bullshit."

With that Ranma began marching to confront her summoner, but was stopped short with a painful jolt as her foot rammed into a wall of power extending upward from a chalk circle on the floor. Stepping back, she evaluated her position and punched the invisible barrier and took another jolt as a reward.

For almost two minutes she unloaded almost everything she had into the wall, but it did not give a millimeter, and after her assault she was forced to stop for fear of burning her knuckles worse then her healing ability could cope with.

Glaring into the shadows where her captor stood, Ranma spoke, "Alright, asshole, what do you want?"

At the edge of her hearing Ranma heard a sigh of relief, then a low chuckle. The shadowed form stepped into the light, and the redhead was greatly unimpressed. He was short, gangly, and pasty and had the look of someone who hadn't seen daylight or food in a great while. He had a notebook under one arm, and the other held a simple prayer strip that Ranma eyed warily.

Hikaru stopped a short distance away and said, "I know who you are and what you are, Ranma Saotome. That's something you don't have. I'd like to offer you a deal. In exchange for a few simple tasks and your guarantee of my safety, I'll show you the depth of your power."

"And if I refuse?"

Hikaru grinned, "Then you stay a prisoner there until your hunger drives you mad, at which point you will swear yourself to me for all time. I'm offering you a much better deal, I think."

Ranma snorted, "So temporary servitude or permanent slavery. Great choices there buddy." Ranma sat down on the small patch of floor inside her prison and closed her eyes, "Let's see if you'll last that long."

"I don't understand why you're reluctant, Saotome," the mage said, "You know how much, maybe a hundredth of what you are capable off? As a warrior, don't you want to know what you can do?"

Ranma winced at that. When she had first discovered her mind controlling powers Nabiki had said much the same thing. Now here was someone claiming to be a sorcerer that could tell her what she needed to know. All the power she had found so far was done by accident, and in the middle of a fight she could not rely on accidents to see her through a tough situation.

_Wait a sec, _she thought, _my mind control power!_

She hated the ability because of the feelings that almost consumed her when she used it, but now was a situation that Nabiki had also warned her about, a situation where using such a tool could lead to her freedom.

Calming herself, she allowed the dark power within her to rise up once more, and slowly she stood, facing her captor. Opening her eyes, she let the soft blue of her power extend outward as she adopted a smoky tone.

"Why don't you let me out so we can talk about this?"

Gosuinkugi stumbled back as the words caressed his ears. Instantly he felt himself harden at the sensation and gulped deeply as his teenage, and underused, hormones raged for him to act. He reached out and braced himself against the wall as Ranma continued to give him a sultry look that sent shudders up and down his spine.

The demoness saw that she was having an effect on him, and repeated her order for him to release her. She also upped the potency of her attack by reaching up and undoing the top two ties on her red shirt. Her cleavage became readily visible, and she bent forward slightly to give the hapless boy a good look at the tops of her creamy breasts.

"_Let me out…_"

Nodding dumbly, Hikaru stepped forward, his foot scuffing the chalk circle as he cupped the succubus' offered bosom. She pushed forward against him, breathing lightly across his ear as they moved out of the trap. As soon as they were clear of the circle, Ranma lightly took hold of the mage's hand that was slowly groping her front and twisted it hard, almost breaking the wrist.

Gosuinkugi went from lust to agony in less then a second and fell to his knees as a silent scream escaped his lips. Reacting instantly, he tried to slap his last ditch weapon, the prayer strip, onto the demon holding him. Ranma's reflexes were far faster however, and the paper was caught in her hand and burst into black flames.

"I'll give you credit, little boy," Ranma said, an echo of power still in her voice, "It took a lot of guts to try a stunt like this. If you ever do it again I'll rip your nuts off." With that she let go of his hand and moved to leave.

"Wait," the downed mage managed to get out, "I can still tell you about your powers. Do you really want to walk away from that?"

The redhead paused at the basement door and turned back, "I don't like the price you'd have me pay. I'm no one's property, and I can smell your lust from here. If you know so much about me, you know that I want nothing to do with that."

"Then you will continue on in ignorance," said the boy, but Ranma paid him no heed and headed out to rejoin her friends. After she left, Hikaru made his way over to the circle, cradling his bruised hand. Looking into the circle he saw that the kanji for 'Ranma' had changed during the encounter.

"I knew it wouldn't be as easy as that," he told the empty room, "That's why I made plans within plans." He quickly scribbled down the new symbol with his left hand and let out a low snicker, then reached for his phone.

"Master Kuno? This is Gosuinkugi. I have received word that she has returned…Yes she is still in the company of the vile sorcerer, Ranma Saotome…Yes, my divination worked, and she was most eager to help your cause…I'll leave the arrangements to you then, just remember that I need Ranma alive to undo his spell…Two days? Excellent, I'll be ready. Good day."

The smile blooming on Hikaru's face widened, and he looked down at the word burnt into his basement floor as he hung up, his snicker soon became his wheezing laugh.

His spell had summoned Ranma, and the spell within it had made contact with the demon, diving into her mystic aura and divining his true weakness.

Checking the circle again, Hikaru muttered to himself, "Who would have thought that the mighty Ranma Saotome could be brought low by such a thing." He turned back to the phone and dialed again, "Tomako's Pets? I'd like to order some cats for a special event at my school. Every one you have in stock."

Outside, Ranma had taken to the air and quickly returned to the Tendo compound where a relived Shampoo and Nabiki gave the redhead welcome hugs. Ranma told of her encounter with Gosuinkugi, and asked Cologne a simple question.

"Can any nut do that? Summon me, I mean."

The Amazon Elder sighed, "It is part of your nature. If he had some kind of link to you, a personal item of yours for example, any mage worth their salt would be able to call you. You should be able to resist the summons once you grow strong enough, but you will have to figure out how on your own."

"Unless we get him to tell us what he knows," Nabiki said. When Ranma shot an accusing glance at her she put up her hands defensively and explained, "I don't mean for you to take him up on his offer. I was thinking my specialty would be appropriate here. After all, if there's dirt to be dug up in Furinkan, Nabiki Tendo can find it."

The mercenary glint in Nabiki's eye, coupled with her own brand of evil chuckle made the other Tendo sisters sweat, and Ranma and Shampoo slowly inched away from the girl as shivers ran up and down their spines.

Ranma was almost sorry for the boy.

Almost.

To be continued.


	24. Of Cats and Corsets

Author's Note: The NWC and the situations they found themselves in were the work of Rumiko Takahashi and were distributed by Kitty and Viz. I use them without permission, but with humble respect for those before me, and I write this with no intent to profit from the efforts of others. There is sex, there is violence, and some foul language. If any of these offend or you are a minor, be gone with ye, tis not for you.

P.S.: by now you know I do this for Janice.

Ranma worked his way through another kata as Nabiki and Akane watched him move in his dance like patterns. Nabiki watched because she liked her boyfriend's muscles and the way they moved under the tank top he wore. Akane was simply trying to figure out the movements so she could duplicate his style. As she stumbled through another set, she continued the conversation with her sister.

"Are you really thinking about moving out?"

Nabiki shrugged from where she leaned against the dojo wall, "I don't think Daddy can handle the whole willing love triangle thing Shampoo, Ranma and I have going. Besides, I graduate next year, and I'll be going to college anyway, I may as well get a head start on the living free and easy thing."

Akane frowned as she punched into the air, "You're still in high school though. What are people going to say about you living with someone like that?"

"They can say whatever they want," Nabiki scoffed, "I could care less. Besides, Cologne is thinking about starting a business in town, and working there as manager is going to look good on the old resume."

Akane grunted, "I thought you were a martial artist now? Why are you still all worked up over money?"

"Little Sis, do you have any clue as to how much money it takes to run a place like this?"

Under his breath Ranma muttered, "Oh lord, here we go."

"What was that," Akane growled at the boy.

Ranma stopped his kata and smirked, "I asked the same thing while we were in China. She was worried about some investments or something while we were away and I opened my big mouth."

Nabiki nodded, "See all the holes you've punched in the walls over the years?" Akane looked around and noted the number, ranging from the ones near the floor when she was only starting to the ones that had accumulated over the last year of dealing with her frustrations.

Nabiki continued, "And how many cinder blocks do you go through in a week?" Akane thought about this, and was quite proud of how much progress she had made in her strength training.

"Throw in all the damage we have to fix when some nut challenges the dojo," Nabiki added and threw her hands up in exasperation, "It's a wonder we haven't had to sell the damn house to pay off all the bills you so called artists rack up."

Akane blinked at that, "But I thought that was all part of training."

"Of course she's that clueless," Nabiki grumbled. She then looked at her little sister and yelled, "GET A JOB ALREADY!"

Ranma chuckled, until Nabiki locked her eyes on him, "I've already lined one up for you, lover boy."

"Um…gulp?"

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 24

Of Cats and Corsets

_It isn't quite a nightmare, _Ranma thought, _but its damn close._

The redhead stood behind the counter of the very same store she had bought a rather provocative ensemble of leather from almost two months ago. The sales clerk she had met then, Yuki, was beside her and explaining the computerized cash register to the confused looking demoness in hiding. Ranma mentally cursed Nabiki for her sense of humor.

"You had such good taste last time we were there that I talked Yuki into giving you a try," Nabiki had said, "It's only part time after school, and only three times a week, so no complaining about it."

Time wasn't what Ranma wanted to complain about, but Nabiki had put her foot down, and Shampoo just found the whole thing 'too too funny'. What Ranma wanted to complain about was that she really didn't want to stand around all day with lingerie staring back at her. Granted, she was a girl at the moment, and she was more or less comfortable with that, but the idea of actually selling the sometimes downright skimpy clothing was embarrassing Ranma to no end.

"How do you manage doing this," she asked Yuki.

The other girl chuckled and patted Ranma on the shoulder, "I know how you feel. The first few weeks I worked here, I was mortified anytime someone I knew came in. Then I realized that I'm doing this because of two things. I like helping people, especially couples trying to be romantic, or even a little naughty. I guess I'm a romantic myself, and also a little naughty."

"And the other reason," Ranma asked, trying not to be disturbed by the gleam in the older girl's eye.

Yuki laughed, "The money is good here."

Ranma sighed, but couldn't argue with that. She would be working two weekday afternoons and Saturday, and even with so few hours she would bring home a comfortable paycheck, at least as far as she understood it. Ranma had never had much money, especially since she would spend most of it bailing her father out of jail. And what little money she had after that, Genma would usually confiscate to get drunk and lament his son's inability to keep him out of jail.

Ranma was suddenly very glad she hadn't seen her father in over a month.

The rest of the afternoon went by uneventfully as Ranma learned how the store was run. She and Yuki hit it off rather well, and during slow moments they talked about their respective relationships. Ranma did not tell the girl about her gender changing issues, and Yuki seemed to have no real problem with Ranma being a lesbian, though she did get a bit of a giggle from the idea of the blushing redhead in a three way relationship.

As for Yuki, the girl seemed like a tornado of dating. In the last six months she had been through three boyfriends and one girlfriend, "Just to see if that would have worked better," she explained. The sales girl longed for a Mister Right to come along and sweep her off her feet, and so far all she had found were Mister So-sos.

"I know I may have high standards, but I want to be happy damn it," she groused while hanging thongs. "All my friends, even you and Nabiki, seem to click nicely with their partners. Is it so wrong for me to want someone like that, boy or girl?"

Ranma shrugged and continued to reset the bras hanging from the wall nearby, "I guess that kind of thing takes a lot of work for most people, I just got incredibly lucky. If Shampoo hadn't…well lets just say it was a close thing and she almost wound up pledging to chase me across the earth until she killed me." Yuki blinked at this, but Ranma didn't notice and continued, "And Nabiki had the advantage of knowing a lot about me before we really got too deeply involved. By the first time she dragged me in here, I was really in love with her."

Suddenly Ranma felt a sharp pain on the back of her head, and turned to see a pouting Yuki holding a hanger she had just bopped Ranma with, "What ya do that for?"

"I am so jealous of you I could scream," Yuki pouted comically before snorting a laugh at the embarrassed and apologetic look her coworker gave her. Unable to hold the laugh in, Yuki let loose, and soon Ranma found herself caught up in the infectious merriment. The new friends finished work in high spirits, and Yuki gave the smaller girl a big grin as the redhead left to head home.

"See you Thursday, Ranma. And try to dress a little better, maybe something to show off that killer figure of yours."

Ranma looked down at her traditional red top and black pants and shrugged, "I'll think about it. And then Nabiki and Shampoo will probably put me in something nice anyway. I swear I'm a big dress up doll for those two sometimes."

Yuki laughed again, "Maybe, but Barbie never looked that good in leather."

Ranma blushed again, and waved bye to her coworker and new friend. _God, I need friends like her,_ Ranma thought. _Outside of the Tendos and Amazons, I don't know if I really have any._

When she returned to the Tendos, Ranma called out, "I'm home." A bouncing Amazon rushed down the hall and gave her a glomp tackle that almost knocked her back out the door, but Ranma maintained her balance and hugged Shampoo back.

"How first day of work go?" the blue haired girl asked, and Ranma sighed.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think that Nabiki was trying to punish me for something."

Nabiki poked her head around the corner and smirked around a Popsicle stick, "Oh, come on, it couldn't have been that bad, lover girl."

Ranma half carried her Amazon wife into the living room and sat next to her fiancé, "I swear I was almost dead from embarrassment when some customer asked me if I prefer front or back clasp bras."

Shampoo cupped one of Ranma's breasts through her top and asked, "She not know you no wear bra?"

Akane walked past to sit down at the table as well and sighed, "Perverts, the lot of you."

"You bet, little sis," Nabiki said with a smile, "and proud of it."

"Now now, everyone," Soun Tendo said as he joined the teenagers, "let's not fight at the table." He looked over and saw that Shampoo was still cupping Ranma's breast, her hand moving slowly, and the redhead wore a big goofy grin with glazed over eyes.

"Ms Shampoo," he said after quickly turning away, "I would greatly appreciate it if you were not that affectionate with Ranma at the dinner table." He composed himself and looked back to see if she had complied.

She only smiled, "Then we go upstairs and do nice things to each other."

Nabiki gave the demoness a hug as well, cupping her other breast and laughed, "Sounds like fun. I need my daily dose of vitamin Ranma."

Soun was passed out on the floor before she finished the sentence.

A red faced Akane pounded her fist on the table and yelled, "Don't you three ever let up?! Do you like tormenting Daddy like that? Or maybe you just hate not being the center of attention."

"She's right," Ranma managed to get out around the pleasant sensations coming from her chest, "It feels great and all, but don't you think we get a little carried away?"

Nabiki let go of the demoness and grumbled, "When did a sex fiend get morals and modesty?"

Shampoo also let go, and Ranma found her voice, "I just think it's wrong to tease like that. Look, I know that you two like doing stuff like that, but it makes people around us uncomfortable. Akane is trying like hell not to react to it, but it has to be driving her up the wall."

"Got that right," the youngest Tendo snapped.

Ranma shrugged, "It's just that the more uncomfortable people are around me, the less comfortable I am. Please try to understand."

Shampoo nodded, but Ranma saw that it was reluctant. The Amazon had never bothered to hide her affection for either of Ranma's forms, and the last month in China had often involved her running down a half naked Ranma through the village for more together time. By the standards of the Amazons, Japan was downright prudish, and Shampoo just couldn't understand it.

As for Nabiki, she tried a different approach. Mentally she looked past the words Ranma spoke and looked into the thoughts behind them. She found there that Ranma's demon nature was fighting hard to overpower the transformed boy's actions. Images of Yuki pushed down on the counter of the lingerie store and ravaged by the sexual beast passed through her mind, as well as acts upon herself, Shampoo, Kasumi, Kodachi, even Akane and very briefly a simple generic male form. She also felt Ranma's powerful will beating these impulses into submission.

"You feel less human every time someone calls you on our little displays, don't you," Nabiki said softly as understanding lit her eyes.

Ranma flinched and spoke, "I know I'm human. It's just…I get uncomfortable with the whole thing every now and then."

"Sorry, Airen," Shampoo said softly. Ranma leaned over and kissed the girl lightly, letting the warrior know that there was nothing to be sorry about. Then Ranma turned back to Nabiki and kissed her as well.

"I promise," Nabiki said after the kiss, "I'll try and ease off a little. Just don't expect me to end all my lecherous ways with you."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Ranma sighed as Kasumi and Kodachi came out with dinner.

The next morning at school, Ranma found himself to be more energetic than usual. His two lovers had simply slept cuddled up to him last night with no demands for erotic encounters. He felt a little guilty for making them feel down, but he was beginning to develop a plan for remedying the situation.

As he exchanged his worn slippers for a pair of inside shoes from his locker, a folded paper fell out. Picking it up, he read it quickly, his face becoming puzzled. Turning to Akane who was standing next to him at her locker, feeling a little smug for taking him down a peg last night, he asked a simple question.

"Nabiki walked in with us, right?"

Akane gave him a sideways look, "Duh. I thought we were going to be late because you two insisted on walking Shampoo to her grandmother's hotel."

"And we saw her about a minute ago heading upstairs, right?"

Akane finally looked at him with a frown, "Are you more clueless then usual this morning?"

"Maybe not me," Ranma shrugged and handed the note to Akane. He then sent out what he and his lovers were beginning to call a mental ring to see if Nabiki was all right. The quick psychic response from his fiancé assured him that there was no trouble.

Out loud, Akane read, "Dear Ranma, I have been captured by evil bandits that wish to do me bodily harm. Please come and rescue me from these henchmen of villiany at the high school gym. Signed, Nabiki Tendo." She paused for a moment and summed it up, "What the hell?"

"Nabiki is fine and in her class, but I think we should investigate this anyway," Ranma said, turning and leaning against the lockers.

"Oh come on," Akane groaned, "This has got to be the dumbest trap ever, and you want to go waltzing in?"

"It's probably Kuno," Ranma said resignedly, "At least it sounds like the way he talks. If I don't go, he'll just try something dumber, and sooner rather that later. Do you really want him barging in during class and starting a fight? I'd rather stand in the hall for being a little late then get detention for fighting during class."

"God, I hate when you make sense," Akane said and turned to head for the gym.

Soon the two teens arrived to find 'Nabiki' bound at the far end of the gym on the stage. Ranma almost started laughing right then and there at the pale, underfed, and obviously male imposter. Whoever he was, the Furinkan uniform jumper fit him badly, and Ranma prayed with all his heart and soul that this poor slob didn't get carried away and put the right underwear on as well.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," was all Akane felt like adding.

"Of thank goodness that you've come to rescue me," the boy said in a falsetto that ranked up in the fingernails on chalkboard range.

Slowly, and with much reluctance to get any closer to the cross dressed bait, the two teens walked up to the stage and stood before the jumper wearing boy.

"For the love of god," Ranma deadpanned, "Have a little dignity, man."

Akane simply grabbed the transvestite by the collar and hauled him up to his feet, "How about I just punch his lights out and get this over with?"

After flushing for a moment, the boy chuckled, "I guess I should thank you, Saotome, for walking so easily into my trap. I now have you right where I want you." With that, he reached out and tugged on a stage rope, opening a trap door in the stage.

A trap door that he and Akane promptly fell through.

Ranma leaned over the edge of the opening and called down, "Hey, Akane, you all right?"

"Of course I'm all right," Akane shouted back up, "but this idiot knocked his head on landing." She was about to yank the cross dresser to his feet when there was a small click. She looked down and saw that the boy was somewhat lucid and had activated a remote control of some kind.

Above, Ranma was about to jump down after Akane when the trap door snapped shut. Behind him he also heard the gym doors closing with a loud crash. Jumping down from the stage, Ranma looked around, his senses alert and ready for an attack.

From the stage, a fanfare blared and the curtains opened to reveal Kuno flanked by two large cloth covered shapes. The hairs on the back of Ranma's neck jumped straight out, and the warrior eyed the shapes warily.

"What is it this time, Kuno," Ranma growled out.

The kendoist smiled, "An odd tone to take with your better, worm. The magus Hikaru Gosuinkugi has informed me of your vulnerability, and I have come today to finally defeat you and release your otherworldly servant into my caring arms. Already, the fair Akane Tendo has seen you for what you are and abandoned you."

"Dude, she fell down a hole," Ranma deadpanned.

"Enough," Kuno yelled, "See the form of your demise!" Kuno tossed an object at Ranma, who easily caught it and held it up to examine. It looked, and smelled, like a large fish.

"Am I supposed to smack you with this or something?"

Kuno then pulled off the tarp on his left, and Ranma felt the world drop out from under him as a stack of cages flew open. Furred forms bounded off the stage and charged for Ranma each letting out a low sound that echoed in the pit of Ranma's stomach.

"Meow!"

Cats, and dozens of them, were bounding their way across the gym floor towards Ranma. He quickly tossed the fish away, but its juice had already covered his arm. Half the small furry creatures broke off to capture the seafood while the others closed in on the panicking martial artist. Kuno watched Ranma's face grow manic, and knew that his victory would be assured.

"Oh Saotome, to see you brought low by such base tactics," the kendoist held his hand up, placing his fingertips to his brow and smiling dramatically, "It is only fair of me to end your suffering now rather then let you live on in shame like this." Drawing his shinai, he prepared to attack in a classic jumping strike that would make him seem the true samurai legend that he was.

He stumbled at the edge of the stage when Ranma began laughing…a little hysterically.

"You idiot," Ranma yelled, "Do you really think a bunch of c…c…C…felines are going to scare me?! Bwahahahahahehehe…" Ranma's mouth was wide, but his laughter was slowly dying down into a high pitched whine as the cats began climbing up his pants, searching for the origin of the delicious smell. He shivered each time one of the small animals used its claws to get higher, but he fought with all his will to show no fear.

_Shampoo is a cat, _he thought to himself, _I've got no reason to be afraid. Do I?_

"I see," Kuno said thoughtfully from the stage, "Perhaps that boar, Gosuinkugi, misinterpreted the results of his casting. Very well, then I shall use my ultimate weapon." Throwing off the remaining cover, Kuno revealed a large tiger, pacing slowly in its cage. "This shall truly be your undoing, wretch!"

The kendoist threw open the cage, yelling, "Attack the fool who opposes me!" The tiger slowly exited the cage, and Ranma forgot his facade of bravery as he looked into the eyes of the jungle predator. He felt a moment of relief when the tiger looked sideways at Kuno, who was impatient for the tiger to smite and crush and all that, was poking it with his shinai to encourage the beast to attack.

With a casual swipe of its paw, the tiger knocked him twenty feet into the wall, shredding his wooden sword and breaking a few ribs all in one strike. Kuno was out like a light, and the tiger turned its attention back to Ranma who was stuck flat footed, quivering in fear to the massive killing machine.

Below the stage, Hikaru Gosuinkugi had gotten rid of his disguise, a whim of his less then brilliant partner, and had led Akane out through the service entrance.

"I really didn't want to involve you in this, Ms. Akane," Hikaru said as he walked her out, "I thought that Ranma would come alone."

Akane glared at the boy, "The note claimed my sister was in trouble, how could I not come?"

Hikaru winced, "Please understand. Someone like Saotome is too dangerous to let run around without some kind of limits. He could easily give in to the curse that's upon him, and death would come to those nearby. I'm trying to do this to protect you and your sisters."

"How do you know about Ranma's curse anyway?"

"I found out some time ago, and offered to help him control it," Hikaru said soothingly, "but he refused. It was almost like he wanted the demon to take control. Please head out now, I have to finish the preparations to stop the position of Ranma before he hurts himself or anyone else."

"But…"

Hikaru took hold of the fire door, holding it open and giving her a gentle shove out, "For his own sake, please trust me."

Shooing a confused Akane out of the basement area, Hikaru moved back in and pulled out a sheet of silk that was already inscribed with a magic circle and several wards.

_If what my divinations say is correct, _he thought, _then Ranma will be stripped of his intelligence and reduced to the willpower of a weak little cat. Then I can forcibly summon the demon inside him and bind her to my will!_

Gosuinkugi walked over to the wall and pulled a simple red lever, tripping the gym's sprinkler system and chuckled. He then waited for the signs from above that his plan was working.

Back in the gym, Ranma's fear was slowly clouding his mind as the tiger stalked closer. The other cats were digging into him, trying to put him between themselves and the larger feline, and this only added to the sense of danger. The addition of the sprinklers did little to soothe the boy as he changed, and one of the cats shifted position to latch on to her breasts.

The water also seemed to piss off the tiger, who growled low at the redhead.

Slowly, as the tiger came closer, Ranma began to slump, falling into a loose stance. When it was less then ten feet from her, she suffered a full body spasm and her head hung low. With a loud roar, the tiger pounced, but the demoness rolled away, coming up on all fours after shaking off the other cats and glaring at the tiger.

Out of her mouth came a loud yowl and her eye's gleamed with inhuman light.

Inside the school, Nabiki suddenly shot up out of her seat, grabbing her head in pain as visions of claws and fangs in a dark pit ripped into her mind.

A few blocks away, Shampoo felt the echo from Nabiki and sped away from the building that she and her grandmother were looking at, heading for Furinkan High as fast as she could.

Beneath the gym stage, Gosuinkugi heard the cry and began chanting.

Ranma sprinted across the gym floor, her arms and legs moving in conjunction as she galloped towards the suddenly confused tiger. She bounded into the air, and it reached up to swipe at her with its claws extended, but her body twisted out of the way, and the growling demoness landed on the larger animal's back. With a savage shout the redhead dug into the tiger and bit down on its neck. Rolling, the big cat tried to dislodge the small girl, but Ranma held on with savage strength.

Growing frustrated, the tiger rolled, for a moment pinning the girl, and continued on to a position where it was able to use its hind legs to swipe at the legs of its unwanted passenger. Ranma was forced to let go, and spit a small clump of orange fur out of her mouth as she danced back, still on all fours, and eyed her opponent, ready to strike again. The tiger eyed her back and crouched low to pounce yet again, but as it raised its hackles to intimidate its prey, Ranma let out her own form of intimidation.

A blazing red aura sprung up around the demoness as her pony tail stood out straight and she loosed a long, bestial roar. The tiger fell back as the raw, intense sensation of dominance washed from the small redhead. It instinctively recognized the power it faced, and knew that challenging it would lead to a swift defeat.

The law of the jungle was that the strong survive, and it faced the strongest cat it had ever sensed. It showed animal wisdom by backing away, its paws closed in as a show of submission. Once it was sufficiently cowed, Ranma let out another roar to insure her position and settled down. Hopping up on the stage the feline mind of Ranma took in her domain, noting that the smaller cats had quickly fallen into line and were clustered around the big tiger.

As she looked out over the gym, she saw that one door had opened, and gave a challenging roar to whomever trespassed on her territory, but she stopped as Nabiki came into sight. Recognizing her as a mate, the redhead bounded over, but before she could reach the girl, whose warm thoughts seemed to be flowing in her mind, the cat queen suddenly froze as a tugging sensation drew at her core.

In a puff of sulfuric smoke, Nabiki watched Ranma once more disappear into thin air. Quickly reaching out to the animal like mind of her lover she found that the crazed demon girl had not traveled far, and was in fact in the basement of the gym, almost under her feet. She was about to look for a way down, but the large tiger grabbed her attention.

"Um, nice kitty," she mumbled, reaching for the door behind her as the big cat fixed on her as a target. _Shampoo better get here quick,_ she added in her head.

Below, the feline mind of Ranma found itself looking into the eyes of someone new. He had a familiar and distasteful scent, and the cat wanted nothing more than to be away from him.

"Now then," Gosuinkugi said to the demon girl, "like last time, you can't break out of that seal. And this time you can't trick me into letting you go. Just a few words and I'll have my very own demon plaything. Just think about it, no more bullies, no more putting up with Kuno, all that power at my beck and call. And best of all, you'll be bound to serve me so I'll never have to worry about being rejected by a girl again! We'll have so much fun, won't we Saotome."

Ranma, even in her current state, somehow knew that the scheming mage meant trouble and let out a long, spitting hiss. She attempted to pounce at the laughing boy, but found the invisible barrier repelled her and kept her pinned inside a simple circle on the silk covered floor. Adjusting her attack slightly, the redhead poured strength into her hands, and soon flaming red claws of energy could be seen protruding from between her curled fingers.

With a roar that was ignored by the laughing mad magician, Ranma let loose with a series of swipes at the shield surrounding her. Each slash in the air left a red mark on the otherwise invisible curved wall around the demoness, and in seconds a cracking noise could be heard echoing in the basement.

Looking at the barrier, Hikaru gasped, "That's not possible. Only high demons are supposed to be able to power their way out of a ward like that!" But before he could react further, the shield cracked loudly and shattered, shards fading to nonexistence as the glowing eyes of Ranma locked onto the now panicking boy. She leaped into the air and struck, sending Gosuinkugi flying across the room, but before he impacted with the wall, she was ahead of him and batted him upwards through the ceiling and back into the main gym.

The tiger was drawing close to Nabiki when the big cat suddenly emitted a blast of air as the head of one dazed sorcerer impacted with its chest, sending the predator a few feet into the air. The mage and tiger lay stunned on the floor as a redheaded blur bounced up out of the new hole in the floor and charged at the two of them, a fire trailing in her wake.

Before Ranma could reach the stunned boy and cat however, a voice called out, reinforced by a mental soothing that ran like cool water down Ranma's spine.

"Here, kitty kitty kitty."

The demoness screeched to a halt, the flames around her dying out as she happily bounded over to Nabiki, who kneeled on the floor with her arms out. Shampoo was behind her and trying hard to hide her amazement at the damage her husband had done in her deranged state.

"You not kidding when you call me," Shampoo told her friend. She leaned down and scratched Ranma's head as the girl cuddled up awkwardly in Nabiki's lap, letting out a low purr.

Nabiki chuckled, "Amen, sister. The power coming off our little kitten here felt like a bomb went off in my head. If she had really cut loose…well, I don't think the cat or the two dorks over there would be breathing."

"Can fix that problem," Shampoo said grimly.

"No," Nabiki told her, "there are laws that we have to obey. I won't have Ranma get into trouble just because it would be easier to off those punks. Besides, I have a better idea. You take the big cat here while I go to work."

Nabiki shifted Ranma to Shampoo's lap, and while the feline female protested, the soothing petting of Shampoo and the cooing of her mate calmed the redhead quickly. Nabiki stood and marched over to the downed forms of Kuno, Gosuinkugi and the tiger. She started with the easy one, and the tiger fell asleep quickly with a simple mental command from the psychic.

For Kuno, she dove into his mind with trepidation, not really wanting to visit the inner workings of the disturbed young man. Finding how the scheme had come to pass, she erased all the events that lead up to today from his memory and placed a simple command in his mind that he would be compelled to announce himself any time he was approaching Ranma, Nabiki, Shampoo, and as an afterthought, Akane.

Knowing his larger part in the plan to capture Ranma, Nabiki approached Gosuinkugi's mind with delicacy. The mage had plans for Ranma's demon half all right, most of them involved taking power for himself or using her sexually. No real big surprise there. There were also the images of herself and Akane forced to serve at the mad mage's feet, and Nabiki felt the greasy imaginings of Hikaru could not pass unpunished.

It was simple really. Take a response he already had, and adjust the reaction slightly. It was the deepest into a mind she had ever been aside from Ranma, and knew that it was an experience she did not wish to repeat with anyone else but her lovers. When it was done, she retreated from his mind, shuddering at the dirty feeling she got from him and stood, kicking him in the groin for good measure.

The results were simple, and perfect in her opinion. Any time Gosuinkugi felt himself aroused he would pee his pants instead of getting an erection.

Nabiki gave a low chuckle that would make the Doctor Evil green with envy.

She returned to Shampoo, with a purring Ranma in her lap and contemplated the current situation, "So lover girl is stuck in the Neko-ken. Got any idea how to shake her out of it?"

"Not really," Shampoo mused, "Maybe grandmother knows how. She at building we look at near here. We go and ask?" Nabiki nodded, and helped Shampoo get the happy mind altered redhead up and off her.

With Ranma trotting on all fours between them, the two girls walked to the building Cologne was still standing in front of. As she saw the girls approach, she let out a chuckle at the antics of Ranma as she lopped along. She had taken to watching Shampoo's long hair sway back and forth, giving the blue mane an occasional swipe. The redhead was also distracted by the bell like ornaments Shampoo wore in her hair, and jumped up to give her head a nudge every few steps to make the small bells ring.

If it weren't for the fact that Shampoo was becoming slightly irritated with the actions, she would have thought the feline Ranma was being cute.

"Grandmother, help," the Amazon almost begged as Ranma finally knocked her on her butt in front of the elder and reclaimed Shampoo's lap, nuzzling her breasts lightly. Nabiki couldn't hold in her laughter at the exasperated look on her sister-wife's face and squatted down to scratch the redhead's head once more.

Miles away from the mental recovery of Ranma, her father was sitting on top of a cliffside on the northern most edge of Japan. For a week after the ignoble defeat he had suffered at the hands of his son, Genma had sulked.

Forget that, he had power sulked.

Every bar in the greater Tokyo area had thrown the man out at one point or another over those seven days, and the bills he had run up under his son's name were staggering. But all the alcohol, all the food, even the night he had bought from a call girl in Shinjuku did nothing to sooth his shattered ego.

Ranma had taken out all the stops, not only demonstrating a great deal of improvement in Anything Goes, but also that he had moved beyond the teachings drilled into him by Genma and had begun to develop a style of his own. Normally, a father and teacher would be proud of Ranma for doing such great things and still showing the potential and drive to go further. But the further Ranma went in his Art, the further he drifted from Genma's designs for him.

After the ninth day of debauchery, Genma was so blitzed drunk he had almost stumbled home by accident. Not the Tendo's home, but his own. It was three in the morning, and seeing the small house again had almost completely snapped him out of his stupor. He saw that even after ten years, the front light was still on, a hope from a mother that her son would return. But that was not to be, it was not part of the plan Genma had for Ranma.

It had reminded him of the years leading up to the start of the plan however, during his initial training with Soun. He had learned a great deal then, and the most important lesson was that anything could be used as a tool to gain one's desire, as long as you were strong and smart enough. As he walked away from the home where Ranma had been born, he developed a gleam in his eye and started north.

For the next two weeks he slowly worked his way to the cliff where he now sat. The trip was filled with doubts concerning this course of action, but in the end he found that his ultimate dream was important enough to take this risk.

In a choice between the demon and the devil, he found that the devil won every time.

Over the last five days he had begun his work, dismantling wards, removing seals, and clearing boulders. He found the work to be bothersome, but there was no one around for miles that could be persuaded into doing it for him. In the end, five hundred sanctified strips of paper and rope bonds lay on the ground next to a pile of almost three tons of rock and rubble.

All of it to guard a simple keg with 'Guinness' stamped on the side.

Picking up a crowbar he had stolen from a garage two days ago, Genma moved to open the keg and said softly, "I have a special gift for you, Master."

To be continued.


	25. Grandmaster Funk

Author's Note: The NWC and the situations they found themselves in were the work of Rumiko Takahashi and were distributed by Kitty and Viz. I use them without permission, but with humble respect for those before me, and I write this with no intent to profit from the efforts of others. There is sex, there is violence, and some foul language. If any of these offend or you are a minor, be gone with ye, tis not for you.

P.S.: by now you know I do this for Janice.

Ranma sat with his back to the dojo door as he breathed silently in meditation. It had been two days since he had come out of the Neko-ken induced berserker state, and he had been unable to quiet the raging in his mind since then. He had been told by Shampoo and Nabiki the events that happened after he fell into his mindless state, and it worried him deeply what the Neko-ken could be capable of in his over powered demonic form.

It also bothered him that Nabiki had reacted the way she had. He understood the need to put Gosuinkugi in his place, but she had deliberately invaded his mind and made permanent changes. After talking with her for a long time, Ranma had begrudgingly gotten a promise out of her not to do something so drastic again. He had not, however, gotten her to remove the mental damage.

Shampoo had not helped in the matter. The Amazon warrior had argued for the amateur sorcerer's death. She held that Gosuinkugi was a threat to Ranma, and a threat that needed to be dealt with decisively. Cologne had only chuckled at Ranma's reaction, telling her granddaughter that it simply was not Ranma's way.

When Ranma had asked the old woman why she had taken his side in the argument, she answered, "It is in your nature not to take life when you can help it. You are trying to prove to yourself that you are not the monster you appear to be, even though you have already proved it to everyone around you. Add in that you have tried to compensate for your father's poor parenting, and you will always look for the best in people, even those trying to do you harm. If it were otherwise, you never would have been joined to Shampoo."

The Matriarch's words had lifted his spirits, and helped him to convince his lovers that a soft hand was needed at times more then a fist. But she had also opened a slowly healing wound in Ranma's heart with the mention of his father.

Genma Saotome still had not been heard from, and while Ranma felt no great worry about his father's safety it still ate at him that Genma had rejected him so easily. It was almost as if Ranma was no more then a tool to the man, and Ranma had done all he could to exceed his father's expectations.

"I guess all I ever was to him was a pawn," Ranma sighed into the dark room. Standing, he began a kata, the first he had learned from his father so long ago. Working through the katas he had learned over the years, he let his mind detach from his body as the memory of the movements flowed through his muscles. Feeling detached, he looked for perspective on his standing with Genma, and found the words of Soun Tendo to be a comfort.

"We wait, and hope that your father can see the excellent young man that you have become."

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 25

Grandmaster Funk

Nabiki and Shampoo looked over the front of the building Cologne had found and shared a look.

"Your Granny has a twisted sense of humor," Nabiki deadpanned.

"Ayah," Shampoo added simply.

The sign for the new restaurant simply read 'Cat Café'. Inside business had already begun, and two waitresses could be seen running about the small café taking orders. What had set the girls off balance was not the speed with which Cologne had opened, but the fact that the waitresses wore costume cat ears and had fake tails sticking out the back of their short Chinese dresses.

The blue haired Amazon turned to her friend and lover and asked, "Shampoo that cute in cat type?"

Nabiki smirked, "At least. But I think you also have the sexy as hell thing going for you too. I don't know if Ranma would panic or get a kick out of this."

"Let's find out," Shampoo said and took Nabiki's hand, turning to head for the Tendo household at the outskirts of the downtown area. They walked that way for some time, hand in hand, but suddenly Shampoo tensed and Nabiki let go to look at her warrior friend.

She took in the look of intense concentration of Shampoo's face and asked, "What is it?"

"Shampoo…has creepy feeling….almost like great darkness nearby."

Nabiki took her companions words at face value and started looking around, both with her eyes and mind. It didn't take long for her to touch on a very greasy mind that was completely closed to her, and a shiver ran up her spine as she sensed it approaching. She shook herself out of her trance, and Shampoo was already in a combat stance as the presence drew close to them. But before it came into sight, a surprise fell on their ears as the thunder of feet and shouts of angry women drew close.

"SWEETO!"

The tiny figure, it was moving too fast to be called anything else, bounced into view with a horde of very pissed off females charging behind it. As they ran by, Shampoo and Nabiki could only stand stunned by the sight. As the stragglers ran by, Nabiki spotted one of her friends from school and called out.

"Kimiko, what the hell is going on here?" The girl in question skidded to a halt and turned to see Nabiki with a dumbfounded look.

She stepped over, out of the way of any further pursuers and spoke in angry tones, "Some little gnome is running around stealing panties. The freak has hit the bathhouse, the gym and about twenty houses in the last hour alone." Nabiki nodded her understanding, and Kimiko took off like a shot screaming, "Give me back my bloomers you pervert!"

"That the fourth weirdest thing I ever see," Shampoo said.

Nabiki smirked, "Aside from Ranma, do I want to know what the other three were?'

Shampoo counted off on her fingers, "Exile Enema in girl bat form number three. Ranma number one. Number two that mole shaped like heart you have on…" Before the Amazon could finish, Nabiki slapped her hand over the girl's mouth and smiled coldly at the few passerby's that may have heard.

"I get the picture," she said flatly and removed her hand, showing a very wide grin on the blue haired girl's face. "That…panty raider headed towards our area of town. We better get back and see if the house got hit. Or if that bunch chasing him caught up." The two teens jogged the remaining distance to the Tendo compound and ran inside to see an unusual sight.

Soun was planted face down on the floor, bowing deeply to an old man standing no taller then Cologne. Behind the wrinkled midget stood a smug looking Genma holding a sake bottle and nodding to some comment the old man had just made.

"What's going on here," Nabiki said in embarrassment as her bowing father.

Soul looked over and started to answer, "Nabiki, this is the founder of the Anything Goes School, Master Happosai." The old man turned and took in the two newcomers to the living room, and at seeing Nabiki and Shampoo his face instantly brightened and he bounced off the stack of pillows he was sitting on.

He flipped in mid air and Nabiki, thanks to her experience with Amazon glomps, figured that the prune would land in her breasts. Before he made contact, she put up a telekinetic force field around her and Shampoo. He was about to smack into the barrier when his eyes focused on her, and suddenly he blurred, vanishing from sight.

"My, Soun, you certainly do have a talented daughter here," a voice said from behind her as a shiver ran up her spine. Craning her neck, she looked behind her to see Happosai attached firmly to her jean covered ass. She gave a yelp and jumped into the air, spinning wildly to try and shake the gnome off her.

Shampoo jumped forward and tried to yank the old man off her girlfriend, and missed completely as he voluntarily left Nabiki and clamped on to her bosom. Quickly she brought a fist around with all her Amazon strength, but all he hit was her own chest as the old man disappeared completely for a moment. Coughing air, she curled up into a ball for a moment.

Nabiki had recovered enough to try and track the letch as he moved from point to point. As she felt for the martial arts master, she felt another presence touch her mind, and extended her progress to the new contact. As Happosai bounced in front of the open screen that led to the yard, he had to dodge sideways suddenly as a powerful stomp came down, almost caving in his bald head.

"And you must be Genma's boy, Ranma," he said calmly, eyeing the new arrival. "Very good sneaking up on me like that, but then having a mind reader give you directions could be considered cheating, you know."

Ranma shrugged his shoulders, "Anything Goes, especially when you attack someone I care about." He looked into the room, glancing at Shampoo and Nabiki and getting a much needed nod that they were all right. His eyes then turned to Genma, and wavered between happiness and anger. He then focused on the miniature master that stood in the middle of the room.

Happosai nodded at Ranma's words, also taking note of the boys drifting eye and spoke, "Well said, my boy. It seems that I have something to work with after all." He bounced over to sit on the mats again and pulled out a pipe, "Don't just grovel there, Soun. Introduce me to this interesting young man."

The Tendo patriarch coughed lightly and sat up, "Ranma, this is the Grandmaster of the Founding School of Anything Goes Martial Arts, Master Happosai. He has chosen to return to us after all this time away…"

Happosai interrupted, "You and lard ass here threw me in a cave and buried me alive."

"Um…Yes…Well," Soun stammered, "At any rate…"

"I have told the Master of my worthless son who has brought shame to me," Genma said with a sneer, "I have apologized to him for my part in his…forced retirement, and he has agreed to teach you your proper place, boy."

Ranma leaned against the door frame and gave a cold look to his father, "Just like always, huh old man. I kick your ass fair and square and you won't accept it. I earned my place, and everything that you put me through is proof of that."

"Ah, but that's where you're mistaken my boy," the midget in front of Genma said, "Sure, you beat up this loser, but I have yet to test you." Genma winced at the words, but let the old man continue. "I'm getting old, and Soun and Genma tricking me like that ten years ago and sealing me showed me that I'm slipping a little. Genma has told me that he trained you well, and you turned your back on him. Soun paints a different picture. What's your story, kid?"

Ranma looked the shriveled master over, seeing his eyes drift back to Nabiki and Shampoo every now and then. He left his place in the doorway and sat in front to Happosai, directly in front of the girls. He kept his feet tensed and ready to intercept another grope attempt by the little man, and thought he saw a tiny nod from him. He felt Nabiki and Shampoo sit behind him, a psychic field still up and an Amazon blade drawn and ready.

In his mind, Nabiki spoke, _"He can sense my abilities somehow. He's thinking loudly that he'll give you a chance to say your peace. The little creep's also broadcasting every little dirty thought that crosses his mind. You better not let the pervert see your other half."_

Ranma silently acknowledged and spoke aloud, "For as long as I can remember, Genma has been training me. I've got no real problem with most of it, but some of it has made me less…human as a result. He hasn't given a second thought about using some stupidly dangerous, or even lethal, technique to teach me."

"The Art is risk, boy," Genma growled, "If you are not willing to put your life on the line then you are nothing!"

Ranma's eyes narrowed, "My life? It's never been my life. You taught me to look for opportunities to defeat my opponent, and the last time I bailed you out of jail just to be dumped in another impossible situation you became my opponent."

Happosai looked back and asked, "You were in jail, Genma?"

"False charges, I assure you," the larger man said, sweat developing on his brow.

The old man shook his head, "I don't know which to be more disappointed over. The fact that you have been jailed…"

"At least a dozen times," Ranma added.

"…At least a dozen times," the old master repeated slowly, "Or that you got caught in the first place."

Everyone went slack jawed at this, and the old man cackled uproariously.

Ranma recovered and yelled, "What's that supposed to mean?! You think it's all right to have the police of five countries after you?"

"Not at all," Happosai countered, "I just didn't think the police would go to all that trouble for a little peeping."

Ranma blinked, and Nabiki spoke up, "I think there's a little misunderstanding here. Genma wasn't caught peeping; the police arrested him for stealing money and food."

Happosai seemed to take this in for a moment and then turned to yell at Genma, "Is this how you behave! Stealing panties and peeking on the pretty ladies is one thing, but money? A martial artist doesn't need to steal money. We work, we teach, we never take."

"This is maybe getting off point," Genma tried to recover as he squirmed under the master's glare, "We had an arrangement, Master. You would make Ranma remember his place, and I would hand over the Amazon he picked up for you."

"YOU WHAT?!"

The three teens shouted at the same time, but Ranma and Shampoo added action to their words, lunging at the elder Saotome. Shampoo's sword was imbedded in the wall behind Genma, less then an inch from his right ear, and he found his escape from his son's wrath blocked by the shivering metal.

"I put up with it, and I thought we were done after I handed you your ass last month," Ranma growled, grabbing Genma by the shirt and hauling him off his feet, "And then you come back and pull this shit. I outa…"

Happosai was in between the two men in a heartbeat, and used his pipe to flick Ranma away. The teen stumbled back, hand going to his chest where he could feel a bruise already forming from the light blow and glared at the miniature master. Narrowing his eyes, he fell into a loose stance and stared down the founder of his school.

"Enough," Happosai bellowed, "Genma's fate is mine to decide! He is right about your attitude, but I can see the lines of power, weak as they are, connecting the three of you. I won't interfere with that."

"Good to hear," Ranma snorted.

The little man chuckled again, "I can ask to borrow one for a little squeeze and snuggle though, can't I?" In a blur, Ranma shot forward again and fired a punch at Happosai's face. The old man blurred, and as Ranma finished the punch he found himself eye to eye with the small man, who was now sitting on his extended arm.

"Quick, boy," Happosai stated, "but too predictable. You'll need to do better then that if you want to protect those lovely ladies of yours."

Punching at Happosai again, Ranma snarled, "I'm just getting warmed up!"

"That's the spirit," the little man laughed, dodging Ranma's blow again and hopping out into the back yard. Ranma shot a glance at his father and followed, taking his usual loose stance across from the founder of the Anything Goes School.

"_I think you two better stay back,"_ Ranma sent to his loves, _"This guy is something else."_

Nabiki and Shampoo nodded, and Shampoo took Nabiki in her arms and leaped up to the roof to observe the coming battle. Genma moved out onto the porch with a small smile playing across his lips, and Soun followed him out with a thoughtful look.

Happosai sat, a pipe slowly puffing smoke in his hands, watching Ranma as the young man apprised him. He hid a small smile when he saw that even with his provocation; Ranma was not going on an immediate offensive. Instead of justified rage, Ranma was holding back his fury and waiting for the ancient martial artist to make the first move. Happosai noted the ready stance Ranma was in, poised like a cobra to strike but leaving several openings to exploit. Happosai also saw that these openings were traps, subtle ones at that.

_For someone raised by my idiot student this boy has more going on then it seems. Genma has no idea the potential his son has, _Happosai thought. The lines connecting Ranma to the two girls also drew his attention. They were not ki, and they almost felt like magic to his sharpened senses, but there was something off about them, as if they were distorted at the moment.

Deciding that Ranma had enough time to prepare, Happosai tapped out his pipe and put it away. Standing, he assumed a stance of his own and jumped high, launching a simple attack at the boy.

Ranma moved like water and dodged the attack, flowing into a low sweep to try and score a hit on the much shorter man. The elder fighter moved easily out of the way and danced in to strike at Ranma's chest, but his blows were stopped short when Ranma crossed his arms and blocked the surprisingly powerful punches. The fight continued at close quarters, and Happosai continued to increase the level of his attacks as the fight progressed.

Ranma was forced back several times, amazed at how fast and strong the old man was. Easily a match for Cologne, Happosai dodged, blocked or countered every move that Ranma tried to use. As the battle wore on, he could feel something on the edge of his senses, similar to when he felt a presence in his demonic form. Each time Ranma was about to grasp at this phantom feeling, Happosai would increase the level of his attacks and Ranma would be forced to concentrate on the fight or suffer the consequences.

As Happosai pushed the young man, the also taunted, "If you keep this level up you'll never be able to stop me from getting a nice little snuggle from your girlfriends back there!"

Ranma smirked and shot back, "At your age you better be careful. Too much of that and you could have a heart attack." Ranma once more kicked his attacks up a notch and the two combatants began to blur around the yard. Only Nabiki with her senses extended to detect Ranma could keep up with the battle.

On the porch, Genma began to sweat. _The boy is even faster then when I fought him, _he thought. _What the hell has he been doing for the last month?_

Suddenly the battle paused, the fighters coming to a rest on either side of the small pond in the middle of the yard. Ranma was breathing heavily; sweat pouring from his brow as Happosai worked his arm around, trying to keep circulation going.

"You've been Amazon trained, boy," the old master commented.

Ranma nodded, "By my grandmother in law. You ain't half bad either, Gramps."

Happosai laughed, "Good, good. Come at me boy, and let's see if you can keep this up."

Ranma almost didn't, but he saw a tiny opening in the old man's stance and jumped in, two fingers extended for a strike to the master's chest. Before he could hit the pressure point, however, Happosai flipped his pipe out of his shirt and caught Ranma's outstretched hand. With a burst of power that Ranma could easily feel this close, he redirected Ranma's momentum skyward, and the pigtailed boy went flying.

Ranma, stunned by the unexpected blow, flipped several times before regaining control. He looked down to see that he had already gone up fifty feet from the single toss, and was losing momentum.

On the way down he thought to himself, _I need more speed. I guess I've got no choice but to use the transformation, even if Nabiki says the old man will get off on it._ With that, he corrected his fall by shifting his body and landed feet first in the koi pond. The splash was large, and he used it to hide his next move as the curse magic washed over him, replacing his male body with his demonic form.

Happosai glanced into the water wall created by Ranma's landing, impressed that the boy had the presence of mind to use it to hide his next move. Suddenly, his senses seemed to light on fire as the distorted magical signature coming from Ranma became active. It blazed in his mind and he could see the lines between Nabiki, Shampoo, and Ranma as clear as day.

He shifted to a tight defensive stance as a form burst from the water, a lightning fast punch striking him with the force of a truck. His vision blurred for a moment with the impact, but as it cleared, he saw a redheaded girl, beautiful and radiating power. He took note of her steel blue eyes, her prodigious bosom, and her perfect hips.

He also saw the smirk on her perfect lips, the same one that Ranma had worn earlier.

Then he took note of how hard the Tendo compound wall was as he crashed into it.

Ranma stepped forward, out of the settling pond and shook her head, sending drops of water flying as her ponytail whipped around. She slid into a new stance, low and close, with her fists drawn even with her waist. She let out a low breath and extended her otherworldly senses, preparing for Happosai to shake off the effects of the wall stopping his flight.

The dazed master also shook his head, and then settled his eyes on the fiery beauty just as she kicked off, sliding across the ground in a graceful dance that would end with her foot solidly in his face. He chose not to be there when it connected and took a moment to examine this new twist. The ki life energy flowing from the busty girl was similar to Ranma, but the magic was of a type he had not seen in a very long time.

His eyes went wide at the realization, and he yelled out, "You didn't tell me your boy was a succubus, Genma!" Then he paused, "How is your BOY a female sex demon?"

"It is a curse," Genma growled from the house, "It is like the one I have that you saw on our journey back. The boy embarrasses the Schools by prancing around in that disgraceful form. This is the reason I have asked for your assistance, Master."

Happosai's jaw dropped open and he yelled back, "You call this a curse?! No wonder the boy has two girlfriends. It probably takes an army to keep her satisfied. And I can help with that!" The small man bounced towards Ranma and she moved to intercept him with a powerful stomp. As her attack came down however, the old master faded from sight.

Looking around wildly, Ranma tried to find her opponent again. Suddenly a shiver ran up her spine, and her demon senses went crazy as she began to feel a pull on her energy coming from her chest. Looking down she saw that Happosai had attached himself to her front, his hands lightly squeezing her breasts.

Her ponytail sticking out straight, Ranma forced herself to ignore the pleasurable sensation of the lust filled energy she was getting from contact with the perverted old man on her chest. She found that it was an almost equal exchange for the power that Happosai was getting from her.

_Ki, _she realized. _Somehow he's draining ki from me through contact, just like I drain lust energy._ This epiphany did not help her current situation however. The old man was stuck to her like glue, and every time she attempted to pry him off, his hands seemed to squeeze that much tighter. Even a body slam to the ground did little to dislodge her unwanted passenger.

She was finding herself more then a little put out.

Ranma finally decided to change tactics. Focusing her power, she held it back from the old man, pulling more and more in to a tight ball within her. It was becoming easier to manipulate the otherworldly energy, and she felt it was time to put it to the test. With a supreme force of will she allowed the ball of her energy to collapse to as small a size as she could.

Her vision began to swim, and she suddenly realized that not only was she suppressing her demonic energy, but the very power source she lived off of. She looked down to see that Happosai was no longer pawing her, and instead looking up at her with a curious expression. He quickly jumped down, a worried look crossing his face.

"I can see you don't like letting me have a little gratification, but killing yourself is a little much," Happosai said. His statement shocked Nabiki and Shampoo into jumping off the roof and running out into the yard, but Happosai jumped in front of them, "Stay back! If she loses control right now it could harm her, as well as anyone close by."

"What's going on, old man," Nabiki gasped as she felt a sickening tug from Ranma's spirit.

The old man grunted, "A misjudgment on my part. I thought Genma's son here contained a succubus. At least that's what it felt like. But this reaction…"

"Husband is demon girl," Shampoo said, "But she still good man, no like other men touching like that. No girl would."

"Amazing," the master muttered. He then moved forward slightly and spoke calmly to Ranma, "You hold the very spark of your life in your hand. You must let it flow again, but not too quickly. It's under pressure, and if you let go it could hurt you greatly. Let it flow slowly, like a small brook flowing from your mind to your heart."

Ranma grunted, under visible strain, and gasped out, "There's too much…it hurts…"

Nabiki moved forward as well, ignoring Happosai's attempt to stop her. Her mind opened to the struggling demon and with a touch to the girl, let her will flow into Ranma. With one hand she motioned for Shampoo to join them, and the Amazon moved and placed herself behind the shaking redhead, allowing the girl to lean against her strong form.

Happosai watched as the two teens closed their eyes, and then saw their energy blend together with Ranma's. The energy wove into a pattern inside Ranma and supported her attempt to return her compressed life force to its original state. As the energy began to expand again, and the mystic bond between the three girls increased in power to aid in the healing, a soft glow began to emanate from the standing trio. A blue aura appeared around the trembling redhead, a green one around Shampoo, and a light brown field around Nabiki.

Happosai watched the three girls standing in a deep meditative state and whispered out, "A Trinity of body, mind and soul…Fascinating."

He pulled out his pipe and lit it, taking a long drag as the healing continued. After a moment he turned back to the porch, looking squarely at Genma and announced, "Deal's off, fuzz butt. I've got bigger plans for the boy."

"But Master," Genma whined, "The boy must be taught respect for the good of the school."

"Stuff it," the old man snorted, "He needs to grow into his role, not be pushed into something that never should have happened in the first place."

Soun spoke up, "You mean the union of the two schools."

"Bingo. I see you're getting some of the old noodle back, Soun. Anything Goes is just that, Anything Goes. It was never meant to be sectioned off and lessened by dividing it into two sister styles. But we will deal with that at a later time. For now the well being of a very determined young man, or rather woman at the moment is paramount." With that he tapped out his pipe and walked over to the girls, their glow slowly dimming as Ranma came to, held up by her Amazon lover.

"Going to try again, old freak," Ranma said weakly.

Happosai smiled at the demoness' continued defiance and answered, "Not today, I'm afraid. For now you should have your two bound lovelies take you upstairs to rest. After all, you need to recover from what almost happened."

Ranma gave a cautious nod and let Nabiki and Shampoo support her as she moved towards the house. They only stopped once when Nabiki asked a question.

"How did you know we are bound?"

"I've met Ranma's breed before, long ago," Happosai said warmly, "But that is a story for another time. Go now."

The three girls turned back to the entryway, and passed between the two fathers standing on the porch. As they passed, Genma's arm moved suddenly shooting towards the back of Shampoo's neck. Before the girl felt an impact however, Happosai was standing on her shoulders, the tip of a knife held between two fingers. The old master pulled the weapon out of Genma's grasp and hopped down, tossing it lightly from one hand to the other as he nodded for the three girls to continue on.

Before he could be reprimanded by Soun or Happosai, Genma hissed out, "It must be done if the boy has any hope of fulfilling his role. You can see the weakness those women are inflicting on him. Killing the Chinese girl would solve half the problem, and if you had raised your daughter right there would be no problem at all."

Soun frowned, "I'm having a great deal of trouble understanding your view, Saotome. My daughters were raised to be strong and independent, despite my own shortcomings. Their mother would be proud of them."

"That's just it," Genma countered, "We are martial artists. We do not need the approval of weak women."

"Shut up, Genma," Happosai intoned, examining the knife still in his hands. "Silver? Were you planning on killing your own blood if she failed to live up to your demands?" Sighing heavily, he continued, "I guess that you would."

There was a long silence, finally interrupted by Soun, "You would spill blood in this house for your own gain. What happened to the honorable young man I started out training with? I'm sorry my old friend, but I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave this home. You have upset the harmony of this place far too often."

"And where are Ranma and I supposed to go," Genma asked.

"Ranma's not going anywhere," Happosai stated calmly, "He is now under my protection. If you ever interfere with the boy again, you will face my vengeance. After all, I have to look out for the heir to the Founding School, after all."

Soun and Genma's eyes widened in surprise and Happosai chuckled at the reaction, "I can already see that the boy has the most potential of any student of the school ever. And I'm getting old. It's time for the new generation to take over, and he will someday surpass both of you, and even me."

Genma started to shout back, "The boy must…"

Soun moved in front of his old friend and put a hand up, silencing him, "Enough! I could have considered us brothers once, but ever since you have returned into my life you have brought pain. You insult my beloved wife and daughters, and now argue with the Master's decision. Your son won his freedom, and the Master chose him for an heir. You should be honored, but instead you shame us all. Get out Genma, and don't come back."

Genma snarled at his old friend, and made to attack. As he flexed his muscles he looked into the eyes of Soun Tendo, and saw ice. The stoic resolve of the man was one hundred times colder then the glare of his middle daughter, and Genma knew from experience that he could hit even harder then his youngest. Add the presence of the Master, solidly on Soun's side, and Genma could do nothing to challenge them.

At least not yet.

Walking away with a snort of disgust, Genma hopped over the compound wall and disappeared. Soun and Happosai stayed alert for his presence for some time, however. Both men saw that Genma was more than angry with their decisions, and that he felt that this was nowhere near over.

Their vigil however ended when Akane, Kasumi, and Kodachi returned to the house with groceries for the evening meal. The old masters introduction to the girls consisted of a grope of the gymnast, a squeeze of the homemaker, and a mallet to the head from the youngest Tendo.

Later that night, Happosai moved about the house. It was long past midnight, and he moved quietly along, inspecting the residence. He stopped momentarily in the living room and took note of a photo on the bookshelf of a young Soun with a beautiful young woman holding a brown haired baby girl. He held his hands in a silent prayer to the departed mother of baby Kasumi in the photo and moved along.

Upstairs he looked into each room. Soun slept in the master bedroom, still alone after the loss of his wife. Akane slept in her room, holding a small black piglet that Happosai assumed was a pet of some sort. Kasumi and the Kuno girl shared a room, and Happosai could sense the bonds of teacher and student between the two.

Finally he entered Nabiki's room, where two beds had been pushed together to accommodate three people. He saw Nabiki and the Amazon, Shampoo, cuddled together. The sheets were kicked down to their waists and exposed that neither girl wore anything to bed. Happosai enjoyed the view of their well formed bodies pressed together when he realized that something was missing.

"Like what you see?"

The master spun around, searching for the source of the voice. In the darkness next to the door a pair of glowing blue eyes wavered into existence as a shadowed female shape took form. Ranma stepped out of the shadow wearing only her loose red Chinese shirt and moved slowly towards the much shorter man.

"Ranma," Happosai acknowledged quietly, "I wanted to talk to you anyway."

"And get a look at the three of us in the buff."

The old master chuckled, "Granted. But I think you know better then most why I find young women like this attractive."

Ranma half nodded and asked, "So are you a demon too?"

"No, but I did learn something from one of your kind when I was younger. You use the energy you collect as a power source and life source; I've adapted the idea to extend my life. How old would you say I am?"

Ranma considered this for a moment, "I know my grandmother in law is almost three hundred years old, so it could be anyone's guess."

"Three hundred you say," Happosai mused, "That's actually pretty close to me. I should have died a long time ago, but I used every trick I could to cheat the Reaper."

"Why?"

Happosai smiled in the dark, "I was waiting for you." Ranma blinked and the old man continued, "I'll admit I'm not the best person in the world. I've been considered a thief, a letch and a pervert, and I won't deny any of it. But I did build up one of the most fluid and powerful arts known to man. I've done everything from training in the wilds of China before Mao and his like took over, to walking the American West during their great expansion, to serving the Emperor himself here in our homeland. I've been waiting two hundred and ninety eight years for someone who understood that honor is more than one person's view. That right and wrong are not always separate. I thought that Soun and your father could be the ones I had been waiting for, but I know that I was wrong now."

Ranma looked down at Happosai and wondered at his change in attitude. Earlier he had been annoying and lecherous, but now he seemed dead serious.

"What do you want me to do," she asked quietly.

"Nothing," the old master responded, "But I would like to ask you to think about taking on the role of the heir to all of the Anything Goes School. It's not a demand, and I'm not going to ask you to decide right away. It's just something I want you to think about." With that Happosai began walking towards the door.

"Wait," Ranma said, stopping him, "You said you'd run into ones like me before. Is there anything you can tell me about them, their powers and abilities? I've been going on instinct, and it's been hard groping in the dark."

Happosai turned back to look at the two nude girls sleeping and chuckled, "Groping in the dark indeed." A glare from the redhead stopped him and he smiled up, "I'll help with what I can, but only if you're ready for it. Some of that kind of thing may be a little much for you right now."

Happosai continued out the door, but on the way out he whispered, "I see that the carpet matches the drapes." Ranma looked after him for a moment, then remembered some of the lunchtime talk at school and looked down, taking note that she had only thrown on her shirt before the old man came in.

"That little…" she growled. "He's just short enough to get a good look, ain't he. I got a feeling that this is gonna be a long week."

To be continued.


	26. A Day Off

Author's Note: The NWC and the situations they found themselves in were the work of Rumiko Takahashi and were distributed by Kitty and Viz. I use them without permission, but with humble respect for those before me, and I write this with no intent to profit from the efforts of others. There is sex, there is violence, and some foul language. If any of these offend or you are a minor, be gone with ye, tis not for you.

P.S.: by now you know I do this for Janice.

To say that the day had been rough on Ranma would be generous in the extreme. It had all started when Happosai, the perverted Grandmaster of the Anything Goes School had come into the bathroom while he was brushing his teeth and proceeded to splash the boy with cold water, triggering his transformation and providing the midget with ample targets for glomping.

After that, the old man had stolen Nabiki and Shampoo's underwear from Nabiki's dresser and Ranma had spent most of breakfast trying to get them back. On the way to school the old man had passed them calling out that he was going to visit the girl's locker room for a little raid, and Ranma and Akane had taken off after him while Nabiki helped Shampoo register for classes.

Kuno had jumped out, declaring his continued love for Akane Tendo and the pig tailed girl, and was promptly trounced by the two of them. It wasn't hard considering he was heavily injured from a recent tiger attack.

After school only frayed more at Ranma's nerves as she went into work, now clad in a nice blouse and skirt she had borrowed from Nabiki. Yuki seemed happy with the new work clothes, and the two friends got busy in the store. After only a few minutes an odd noise was heard coming from the dressing rooms, and when Ranma went to investigate she found a small, almost unnoticeable hole in the floor.

Sprinting into the building's basement, she found Happosai setting up a folding chair on a pile of boxes directly under the hole and spent the next hour chasing him out of the store and patching the peephole.

After the redhead returned to the Tendo home, she was worn out and went right up to Nabiki's room, flopping down on the bed. Nabiki looked up from her homework and smirked at the tired girl spread eagled on top of her sheets.

"Bad day, lover?"

Ranma groaned, "Ranks high up there. I think I'll go flying tonight to clear my head."

"Probably a good idea," Nabiki said then turned her attention back to math.

Ranma rolled off the bed and let her skirt drop to the ground. Walking over to the closet, she reached in for her leathers, but stopped when she saw that the hanger was empty.

"Oh, no," she groaned.

"Sweeto!"

Hopping over Nabiki and perching herself on the open windowsill Ranma looked down into the yard where Happosai was holding up her leather thong for inspection. The old pervert took a deep breath from them, and Ranma saw red.

The redhead jumped out the window and dove, her wings ripping through the back of her blouse as she swooped in and snatched her thong from Happosai's hands, "Those are mine you letch!"

"And what impeccable taste you have, my dear," the old master grinned, "I don't suppose you'd mind modeling them for me?"

Ranma let out a low growl and then yelled back into the house, "Hey, Akane! Can I borrow that mallet of yours?"

The redhead felt it was Happosai's turn to have a bad day.

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 26

A Day Off

"…and after an hour of that, the old man had him jumping around the dojo avoiding something called 'Bra Boomerangs'," Nabiki was telling Shampoo as the two girls sat across from each other in a local café.

The Amazon shook her head, "Poor husband get run ragged by little man. Been like this since he show up."

"Too true, girlfriend," Nabiki muttered, "Getting jumped at school by Kuno is bad enough, but this guy is like the Energizer Bunny. I don't know how much more Ranma can take."

Both girls sighed and Shampoo swirled the straw in her soda in contemplation. In truth, the pressure on their mutual love was not only derived from one shriveled pervert. Ranma had just effectively lost his father after Genma was kicked out of the Tendo home. While this shouldn't have been overly problematic, Ranma had confessed to them that he missed having some kind of parent, even a bad one.

Having grown up with a distant father and no mother for the last ten years, Nabiki could relate. Ever since she and her sisters had confronted Soun Tendo, he had done his best to make amends with his children, and it had brought the family closer together as a result.

Ranma never had the chance with his own father.

"What we need to do is take his mind off all the stuff that's happened lately," she mused.

Shampoo looked up and smirked, "We both screw his silly? That usually works on troubled male."

Nabiki sighed, "I don't think that will cut it this time. We need to haul out the big guns."

"Orgy?"

"No!" Then after a pause she added, "Maybe another time. I was thinking about a good old fashioned romantic night out. A date."

Across town from the two plotting girls Cologne was putting the finishing touches on the Cat Café. It surprised her how much work was involved in setting up shop here in Japan, but it was well worth it. She had started dusting off her old skills in the kitchen, and hundreds of recipes were coming back to her now from a hobby she had all but abandoned over fifty years ago.

She was humming a little tune while wiping down the last table, cleaning in preparation for opening the next day. Between Nabiki's help with paperwork and the other girls throwing in a little hard labor, the restaurant would soon be quite the profit maker.

Cologne chuckled at that thought. Living here in Tokyo for only a short while had opened her eyes as to how much the outside world had surpassed her quiet little valley. She was even considering taking an adult education course at the local community center to learn about computers.

Even if the blasted things scared the hell out of her.

She stopped her cleaning suddenly, a cold shiver running up her spine, and turned towards the door. It opened smoothly, and for a moment she thought no one was there, but then her gaze drifted down a few feet and she stiffened.

"You," she growled.

Happosai calmly walked in, quietly sliding the door closed behind him and looked into the old Amazons face.

"I knew that Ranma had been trained by one of yours," he said with a smile, "Now I know how he got so good."

Cologne hopped off the table she was cleaning and brought her staff up into a defensive grip, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you now, you bastard."

Happosai sighed, "I guess I have that coming. I won't make excuses, Cologne. I only did what I thought was right at the time."

"You left me pregnant and alone," the old woman growled, "And you took many Amazon treasures from my mother. On top of all that…"

"The Guild found me, Cologne," Happosai shouted. He took a deep breath and started in a softer voice, "If I stayed, and god help me I wanted to, they would have come down hard on the village. Before you start, I know how strong your people are, but do you really think it would have mattered in the long run? How many of them could you stop? Never mind the things they would have brought with them."

Cologne sighed, "And then you never returned."

"They caught me," the old man said while looking down at his feet, "It took me a hundred years to break out of there. When I finally got loose, I thought you were long gone. It wasn't until I met Ranma that I knew you were still alive." The two of them stood silent for a time then, both lost in thought. Finally Cologne spoke.

"What are you going to do now?"

Happosai shrugged, "The Guild will come looking for Ranma if they ever find out about her. I'm going to make sure that she's more than they can handle."

Cologne chuckled, "You don't know the half of it." When Happosai raised an eyebrow at her comment she elaborated, "Ranma is the Chosen One. He fell into her spring, and has already faced many challenges. She cast down a pretender who tried to twist the tribe, and she has joined back with the tribe bringing us honor once more."

Happosai leaned heavily against the doorframe and started laughing. Cologne thought that her former lover had lost his mind, but he soon collected himself and managed to croak out a response.

"Oh lord, this is too good. Not only is the poor boy a reborn Amazon hero, but he's right at the top of the old man's hit list." Sobering slightly he asked, "Do you think he knows she's alive again? Have you seen any sign of the Guild?"

"The father of the demon and the leader of the Guild? Of course he probably knows," Cologne chastised, "But I have seen no sign of his underlings. I will make preparations, of course."

The old master nodded, "Then I best be off. For what it's worth, I wish things had played out differently." He turned to leave, then jokingly tossed back over his shoulder, "Age has NOT treated you well, Peachbutt."

"NEVER CALL ME THAT AGAIN," Cologne howled.

Soon Happosai was bounding down the street, Cologne in hot pursuit with her staff and a frying pan whirling to attack if she got close enough to him. After an hour of running around the town, the two finally settled on a rooftop, each pulling out their pipes and smoking in companionable silence.

"I had a son," Cologne said quietly.

Happosai gazed at her and sighed, "I wish I could have met him."

"You would have been proud of him," the Matriarch answered, "He stood up for himself, grew strong as a fighter and wise as a healer, and spent many a day driving me up the wall with 'progressive ideals' like equality of gender and such." Tapping out her pipe she chuckled, "In the end he convinced me."

"What became of him," Happosai asked.

"He fell in love and married. Lotion found a wonderful girl from a nearby village and they had a beautiful daughter who grew up and had a daughter of her own."

Happosai's eyes widened in understanding, "Ranma's Amazon girlfriend."

"Our great granddaughter, Shampoo."

Happosai burst into laughter and rolled onto his back, clutching his stomach. He went on like this for quite some time, but finally managed to pull himself together and sat back upright. Wiping tears from his eyes he smiled at Cologne.

"Someone upstairs has a sense of humor," he chuckled, "Well; I guess that she's off limits to me then. Too bad, she has your figure."

Cologne bonked him on the head with her pipe, "As if you would want to anger a soul bonded succubus."

"Too true."

Later that night, Happosai returned to the Tendo home, a happy spring in his step. He headed to the dojo in hopes to find his new student and continue his training, but instead he found the middle Tendo daughter alone and practicing a beginners kata. Her form was solid, and the old master could tell that Ranma had taught her. He also noticed that the young woman looked very good in her simple black sweatpants and sports top.

"Hotcha, Ranma can sure pick the pretty ones."

Nabiki stopped and turned towards the old man, her hands going to rest on her hips and a smirk appearing on her face.

"Just the troll I wanted to see," she said with a predatory tone, "I have a little deal to work out with you."

Happosai nodded, his eyes following her breasts as they moved under her heavy breathing, "You have my undivided attention."

"I'm sure," grinned the middle Tendo daughter. "Shampoo and Ranma are going out for a little night on the town tonight, and I need you to leave them alone." She noticed that the old man's eyes were still glued to her chest, so she snapped her fingers in his line of sight, "Do you think you can do that?"

"Let me get this right," Happosai said, shaking himself back to the topic, "My favorite playmate is going out with a hottie like that, and not only are you ok with it, but running interference? It doesn't bother you at all?"

Nabiki shrugged, again making Happosai's eyes bob up and down, "Not a problem with me. Shampoo and I flipped for it, and she won. Ranma has been pushed hard lately, more then you know, and we are taking it on ourselves as his better halves to make sure he doesn't go loopy. So, do you think you can be a good little boy tonight?"

"Better halves," Happosai said, trying to suppress the laughter. "What's in it for me, Sweetcheeks?" A sharp stab of pain flared in his head and he let out a short, startled cry of pain before it subsided.

"That's the stick," Nabiki said in her most charming, and frightening voice, "You get the carrot later, after Ranma has a chance to decompress a little."

Happosai grinned, "Hot and smart. If I was a few hundred years younger…"

"…You still wouldn't have a chance with me," Nabiki finished with a smile. She glided past the still amused master and headed into the house.

Inside she found Ranma sitting at the low table, nervously twiddling his thumbs while waiting for Shampoo. He wore a simple outfit of black slacks and a red button up shirt, and not his usual Chinese silks at Nabiki's insistence that this would be a special occasion.

She looked him over while he was distracted, and smiled at his appearance. Even under the somewhat dressy clothes, she could still see he muscles move in a ballet of quiet anticipation. He was a tightly wound spring, but he still had an almost animalistic attractiveness about him, and as Nabiki stealthily moved behind him, she almost wished she had cheated on the coin toss with Shampoo.

Luckily the Amazon had promised to make it up to her.

Wrapping her arms around Ranma, and pressing into him from behind, she whispered into his ear, "You look worried, handsome. Don't be, this will be a good night for you, I promise."

Ranma turned in place to face her, "I know. It's just that I've never done the whole date thing, and I really don't' know what to expect."

"Shampoo isn't a dating machine either, you know," Nabiki replied, shifting position to sit in the pigtailed martial artist's lap. "I set things up for the two of you, so just go and have a good time."

Ranma asked, "But what about you?"

"Kasumi, Kodachi, Akane and I are planning on dragging Dad out to do something besides brood and play shogi. There's a festival at the shrine tonight, and the five of us are going to have a good time, even if we have to beat Daddy into it."

Ranma smiled at the mock determination in Nabiki's voice and gave her a kiss. The two of them sat there for a little bit, Nabiki enjoying being wrapped in Ranma's arms. Finally, a throat cleared from the doorway, and the two of them turned to look. Silence was their only reaction as Shampoo walked in.

The Amazon girl wore a long white, Chinese cut dress with prints of red and green flowers on it. It hugged her form tightly, showing off every curve, and was cut high on the side, showing off her long, well formed legs. Those legs were encased in white stockings that seemed to make her skin glow in the living room's light.

Her face was done up as well. A touch of eye shadow and blush, subtle, but helping to accentuate her features. Her lips were cherry red, and curled into a smile at the reaction of her loved ones.

Ranma and Nabiki both worked their jaws closed, and the Tendo girl extracted herself from Ranma, standing and walking over to the Amazon, giving her a low, appreciative whistle.

"If you don't want to go out with her tonight, I will," she said in a low, hungry growl over her shoulder.

"Forget it," Ranma said, standing as well, "There is no way I'm going to back out now. Shampoo, you look…Wow!"

The warrior girl gave a musical laugh and smiled at the two of them, "Shampoo not know much about Japanese dating, but pretty sure that this proper look."

"No kidding," Nabiki said and slid up to her, wrapping her arms around Shampoo's waist and leaning in to kiss the red lips of her girlfriend.

Even if he had seen it dozens of times, Ranma's mind still shorted out a little at the display. As the two girls began probing each other's mouths, he found himself unable to say or do anything. All he could manage was a silly grin on his face at the idea that both of these girls wanted him as well.

When the kiss ended, Shampoo traced one hand along Nabiki's jaw, her polished nails gliding along Nabiki's skin, "I treat husband too too good tonight, then you get same treatment later."

"You better keep that promise, Sexy. But for now, go have fun with Studmuffin over there before we make him pass out," Nabiki said with a smirk. With that, she turned Shampoo towards Ranma and slapped her on the bottom, making the Amazon squeal and jump slightly and turn back with a smile before she sauntered over to the still frozen Ranma.

To wake him from his daze, Shampoo pressed herself into his frame and gave him a kiss of his own that seared up and down his spine. He enjoyed the contact, and afterwards looked down at the girl, and over at Nabiki, still in her workout clothes and giving him a thumbs up.

_I don't know how I got so lucky,_ he thought to himself, _but thank the goddesses I am._

"Let's go," he simply added out loud, and took Shampoo by the hand and headed for the door. After the two of them left, Nabiki headed upstairs to her room to get ready for her own night out with family.

Ranma and Shampoo strolled down the street, headed for the shopping district to a small steakhouse that Nabiki had recommended, and gotten reservations at. For the most part the walk was silent, with the occasional quiet exchange about how nice it was to get out, how good the other looked, or some incidental event that had happened that day.

Ranma was finding himself comfortable with the smile and warmth of Shampoo's hand in his as they strode into the early evening bustle of the marketplace. He did notice that the two of them were attracting a great deal of attention and attributed it to Shampoo's stunning appearance. But he soon saw that many of the girls were paying him notice as well with wistful looks on their faces.

One of those girls stood out in the back of his mind, but being so close to Shampoo allowed him to dismiss the nagging feeling of familiarity. She was about the size of his girl form and wore a pair of torn jean shorts and a red jacket over a tee shirt that proudly proclaimed 'I reject your reality and substitute it with my own'. Her pink hair was covered by a baseball cap, and she had a look of frustration as she watched the two go by.

The strange girl let them pass and blew a long breath out. Stuffing her hands in her jacket pockets she continued down the street, people watching and looking for any clue as to her objective.

"Damn Dizzy," she grumbled, "'Go to Nerima and look for any sign of our sister', yeah right. I should be getting laid, not stalking around looking for someone I've never met."

She found that her heart was simply not in the hunt. Realizing that she was jealous of the couple she had just seen, Alexis turned and entered the nearest bar.

"If that stud and the blue haired hottie he was with are going to get frisky, so can I," she reasoned. She worked her way in, and hopped to the pit that she could at least get a cheap feel up from the inebriated patrons, or even screwed silly in the ally.

Back outside, Ranma and Shampoo finally arrived at the restaurant. After confirming the reservation Nabiki had arranged, they found themselves seated comfortably with menus in front of them. Ranma had a hard time figuring out what was making him drool more, Shampoo's flirting eyes or the proud declarations of various steak dishes on the menu.

"So much to eat, so little money," he quipped. Shampoo gave a musical laugh, but also was drawn in by the charming smile of her husband and the idea of hickory smoked, garlic seasoned steak with parmesan potatoes.

Life, and the meal, was good.

Over dinner they talked, mostly about Cologne's new establishment and Nabiki helping to run it. An entire floor of the building was being set aside for the trio to move in to, and the teens were excited by the idea of living together more or less on their own.

It didn't bother Ranma much, having been raised by Genma to be more or less self sufficient, but the girls had both had the support of family, and even with Cologne in the same building and the Tendo home a five minute walk away Shampoo was feeling like a small bird about to leave the nest.

Once the meal had been consumed, and complements were made to the cook, the duo headed out to the next stop on the itinerary. The movie theater was nearby, and Ranma already had tickets. Nabiki had picked out an action film for the two of them, knowing that anything too sappy would have left Ranma asleep before the second reel.

There was enough of a romantic sub plot that the two teens were feeling comfortably close. They often found that their hands had drifted together, and by the time the hero and heroine confessed their love, Shampoo was leaning her head on Ranma's shoulder.

In the pig tailed young man's opinion, it was one of the nicest nights of his life.

The Tendo clan, with the addition of Kodachi Kuno, was also having a good time. It had started with Kasumi and Kodachi finding out that the festival was taking place. They had decided to go and found out that Ranma and Shampoo were going out on a date. Nabiki was invited along, and since she was going Akane was also invited, making it the first time the three sisters had been out together in a very long time.

It was actually Kodachi's idea to ask the Tendo patriarch to come. She had found that spending time with the Tendo family had become addictive to her, as her own brother, and heaven forbid, her father were somewhat lacking in any closeness.

The notion of a family night went over spectacularly, but when Kodachi tried to bow out it was Soun who refused.

"You have helped take a burden off my daughter's shoulders for the last month. It has allowed her to regain some of that spark that she lost all those years I shamefully left the house in her hands. You are more then welcome with us."

Kodachi didn't really know how to respond to that, so she wound up getting swept into the festive mood that the Tendos created. She as always stayed close to Kasumi, and as she helped the older girl into her festively colored kimono she took a moment to embrace her from behind.

"I really must thank you again, Lady Kasumi, for allowing me to be a part of this," she said softly as she leaned her head against the taller girl's shoulder.

Kasumi grinned, long ago having given up on breaking Kodachi of her formal speech, "Not at all, my friend. You've come so far in such a short time, not only in your gymnastics training but as a person. Ever since you started helping out here, I couldn't have asked for a better companion."

Kodachi blushed and held Kasumi, who turned in her arms so that she could hold the lithe girl, "You are not the spoiled little girl you were when you fought Ranma."

"I owe her, and you, more then I can say," Kodachi said, shifting to place her head in the crook of Kasumi's neck. She then added in a whisper, "I love you, my Mistress."

Kasumi had heard the quiet declaration and held the girl close, "I know you do, Little Rose. You are so like Ranma, starved for love. And while I do care for you, I do not know if I am ready to love."

Kodachi looked up and caught Kasumi's sad eyes, "Why? I would give anything for you, but this little thing scares you. Why is that?"

Sitting the young girl down, Kasumi slowly answered, "I loved once before. He was an older man, but a good one, none the less. At first I believed that he loved me back, but even if he did it would never work out."

Kodachi asked a simple question, "Why?"

Kasumi sighed as she sat next to the other girl, "He was unable to express his love to me. The one time I told him how I felt, he acted so strange, like it was a game to him. Since then I found that he acts that way whenever I come near him."

"But couldn't that mean he has feelings for you?"

"Yes," the older girl replied, "but as time passed, I grew, he never changed. Even today he can't calm himself to speak to me, and I can't love someone who is not there. No matter how sad it makes me, or him."

Kodachi saw the tears in the older girl's eyes and wrapped her arms around Kasumi once more, allowing her to let the emotion out and cry on the young gymnast's shoulder. For the longest time, the two of them sat there, until the last of Kasumi's tears had been shed, and she sat back upright, giving a small smile to Kodachi.

"Thank you, Little Rose," she said.

"As I have said, Mistress," Kodachi answered, "Even if you are not able to love me back, I will always be there for you. You deserve that and much more for helping me out of the dark."

Unable and perhaps unwilling to resist the black haired girl's sincerity, Kasumi let one hand take hold of the girl's chin. Tilting the gymnast's head back slightly, she moved forward, allowing their lips to touch. The chaste kiss slowly deepened as Kodachi parted her lips, unable to contain the feelings she had for the older girl. Kasumi was also drawn in, a warm contentment settling over her as the two girls began to slowly invade each others mouth with their tongues.

With a trembling hand, Kodachi reached up and ran her fingertips along the creamy skin left bare by the still undone kimono. The tops of Kasumi's breasts developed goose bumps when the contact lingered across them, Kodachi's hand coming to rest just above the valley of cleavage, her index finger lightly held over the collarbone.

Kasumi knew what the girl wanted. In their time together Kodachi had proven herself to be a handful due to the very physical nature of her being. She seemed to revel in contact, and Kasumi saw the spark in the girl's eyes that once inhabited her own.

In addition, Kasumi had come to once more welcome the contact provided by her younger student.

She drew her kimono open wider, bringing her heavy breasts into view and allowed Kodachi's hand to cup the large mounds. A moan arose from the depths of both girls. Longing from Kodachi, contentment form Kasumi.

Their efforts to intertwine tongues redoubled as Kodachi's fingers finally found the fast hardening nipple of her mentor, and with a quick movement she lightly pinched the protuberance. A sigh escaped into her mouth, and she found herself pulled in tightly to Kasumi, her fingers still working the now erect nub.

"Kasumi, are you ready to…I…I…I…"

Both girls separated at the sound of the door opening and moved quickly to cover themselves as Soun Tendo stood frozen in the doorway.

"I…I…I…"

Kasumi gasped out, "Father! Knock first!"

"I…I…I…"

She swiftly stood and shoved him out of the entryway and added in a commanding voice, "Say 'Oops', and go wait downstairs."

Soun blinked and answered, "Oops…"

He then spun on his heel and ran down the stairs. Kasumi sighed, her hand going to her forehead to rub her temples.

She stopped when she heard a light giggle from behind her. Turning around she saw that Kodachi had tried to hide her mirth behind the sleeve of her own kimono, but was failing miserably as the smile she had was more then evident in her eyes.

"Don't even start," Kasumi said sternly, but Kodachi couldn't help it and small giggles started coming from her. Kasumi sighed and let out a laugh of her own as she sagged against the doorframe.

"Poor Father," she mused, "I don't know how much more he can take."

Downstairs, Soun had sat down at the family table and was trying desperately to suppress the idea that his once innocent daughter had become…well…a great deal more provocative. He shook his head at how his daughters were growing up and wondered if he had been responsible.

He crushed that thought quickly, for while he knew that he had indeed not been there for them, their choices now were in no way wrong. Some may have thought his thinking to be rather old fashioned, but when it came to the happiness of his daughters the rule book went out the window.

Akane soon joined him at the table, her own kimono a light yellow and printed with brightly colored flowers. She sat and guessed from the look on his face that he was focusing on something that had just occurred.

"What's wrong, Daddy," she asked.

Soun looked at her and mentally sighed, _My last straight daughter. I hope._

"Nothing is wrong Akane," he reassured her aloud, "I'm just trying to get a handle on your sisters' relationships. It's a little difficult for me."

Akane snorted, "Perverts, the lot of them."

Soun raised an eyebrow, "Akane, what about what the Doctor discussed with us?"

"I know," she grumbled, "And I mostly accept that there is nothing wrong with them. But come on Daddy, Nabiki is running around with two people and Kasumi is turning into some kind of…I don't know. It's all too weird for me."

"Just think about how weird it is for us," Nabiki said. She came up behind her younger sister and laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "If you had told me a year ago I'd be making time with a guy that turns into a demon girl and his Chinese Amazon wife, I'd have you locked up in a nut house." She smiled and sat beside Akane, "Face it little sis, things are weird no mater how you look at it. That's why we need to pull together as a family."

"Nabiki is right," Soun added. "You girls have gone through so much, but as a family we can overcome anything. We are Tendos after all."

"Well said, Father," came the voice of Kasumi as she led Kodachi into the living room. "I think Nabiki and Akane have overcome a great deal to get to the point that they are at now. And I have had to face my past." Laying a hand on Kodachi's shoulder she added, "We are all trying to make the best of life."

Soun fought down the blush threatening to appear on his face and added, "Agreed. Now then, what say we head out to the fair? This will be a good night for all of us."

The Tendo family, with Kodachi a step behind Kasumi, stood and left the house, the comfort of family making the group smile. Even Kodachi felt warmed by the feelings, hoping that the Tendos would come to accept her as Kasumi had.

Well, maybe not quite to that level.

Across town, Ranma and Shampoo were winding down their night on the town. They had enjoyed the meal and movie, and now the two of them were walking through the park outside of Furinkan High. Shampoo leaned against Ranma's shoulder, his arm held tightly around her as they traveled the path.

"This is one of the best nights I've ever had," Ranma sighed and bent to kiss Shampoo on the top of her head.

She smiled and pressed into him, "Night only end when you say so."

"But how to end the night," the young man chuckled, "with a kiss on the porch? I've heard that's how it's done traditionally."

"Maybe for first date," Shampoo grumbled mirthfully, punching him lightly in the side. "I no get made up just to be left alone tonight."

"I guess not," Ranma said and picked Shampoo up, swinging her into his arms and launching himself off the ground. Shampoo gave a yelp of surprise, but soon calmed as her husband began hopping from tree to tree and then along rooftops. Pressing her form closely to his she let a sigh escape her lips at being carried off by her husband.

Soon they found themselves at the Tendo home, dark in the twilight with no one on the premises. Moving silently, Ranma leapt up to Nabiki's window, left open by the girl in anticipation of the couple's return. Sliding inside, the two teens smiled at each other as they found a simple note from Nabiki on the bed.

'Have fun, love Nabs.'

Ranma lowered Shampoo from his grip, but the blue haired girl kept her arms around him. She stood on one foot and stretched up, capturing Ranma's mouth in a deep and full kiss. Ranma was transfixed by the contact and welcomed the sensation, just as he welcomed Shampoo's hands slowly roaming his back.

It was unlike anything they had done before. They took their time and explored each other intently as their passion built. Never once was a word spoken, only the soft moans and cries of lovers bound on a primal level.

It was a monumental thing. Both had martial artist's stamina and flexibility, and Shampoo did things to Ranma that made him sing a wordless praise. Ranma returned the favor with the attentiveness of a craftsman, starting simple and exploring new avenues of pleasure.

Time passed and again and again they expressed themselves, drawing the conclusion out as long as possible so that neither would ever forget this night.

Soon, they were intertwined with each other, panting on each other's shoulders as they came down from the euphoric high created from their coupling. Ranma slowly lowered his wife back down to the bed, then lay beside her, moving his arm under her and pulling her head to rest on his chest.

"I love you," he panted into her hair as she moved to hold him as well.

Shampoo responded with a soft, "And you I love as well."

Without the energy to remove Shampoo's stockings, or even pull a sheet up over then, the two slowly drifted to sleep. Their blissful smiles the last thoughts of each other as darkness claimed them.

A few hours later the door to the room opened and Nabiki came in. She saw the condition of her lovers and gave a small grin of her own. Quickly undoing her festival kimono she walked up to the bed.

Nabiki let one hand play up Shampoo's legs, enjoying the feeling of the white material on the long legs of her lover as her other hand rested on the well built pectorals of her fiancé. She moved to lay with them on the bed, softly kissing each of them on the forehead as she let herself rest comfortably with the two spent teens.

As sleep claimed her as well, the last thing she heard was a simple statement from the most important people in her life.

"We love you."

To be continued.


	27. Old School

Author's Note: The NWC and the situations they found themselves in were the work of Rumiko Takahashi and were distributed by Kitty and Viz. I use them without permission, but with humble respect for those before me, and I write this with no intent to profit from the efforts of others. There is sex, there is violence, and some foul language. If any of these offend or you are a minor, be gone with ye, tis not for you.

P.S.: by now you know I do this for Janice.

"This is what your betrayal has earned you," said an ominous voice.

Ranma shook her head, unable to make out her surroundings but somehow knowing she was somewhere she knew. Looking up she saw a dark form, tall and imposing that was leaning over her, holding her head up. It radiated menace, and she could feel fire flickering along its fingers where it roughly held her hair.

Blinking her eyes clear, she looked past the form at the burning ruins of a castle in the near distance. She let out a painful scream as she realized that her important people were still in there, and now there was nothing she could do to save them.

"You never should have abandoned me," the voice spoke again, and Ranma was yanked upright to look into a pair of burning red eyes that pulsed with hate. "It will be a long road of pain before you can redeem yourself."

Ranma wept, but managed to croak out, "Yes, Father…"

The form dropped her then, and soon another person was at her side, helping her up.

"You never should have fallen in love with that human, Sister."

Ranma turned and took in the new form. Female, and only a few years older then her, she was wrapped in white leather straps and had a long mane of white hair. Behind her stretched out a pair of wings that were so like her own.

"I had no choice, Dizzy," Ranma said, not really understanding the moment. "It struck like thunder, and I couldn't turn away from it. Please forgive me."

The taller demon leaned forward and lightly kissed her on the forehead, "I do…but Father never will." Both of them turned to look once more on the burning castle, and Ranma's eyes were drawn to the tallest tower.

Hung from the ramparts was a body, cut open and dead.

Ranma could only cry out, "NO!!!"

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 27

Old School

"NO!!!"

Ranma sat bolt upright breathing heavily in the darkness of Nabiki's room. He shook his head as the last vestiges of the nightmare faded away and he sat there looking down at shaking hands.

"Are you alright?"

Turning he saw that his sudden awakening had also roused Nabiki and Shampoo, and the two girls were looking at him, worry evident in their faces.

Slowly he exhaled and answered, "A bad dream, that's all."

"Uh hum," Nabiki said, concern still in her voice, "who do you think you're fooling, lover boy? I didn't catch much, but the last part of that seared into my mind."

"That and you scream like soul being ripped out," Shampoo added, giving Ranma a hug from the side. "Shampoo never wants hear that sound again." Nabiki nodded her agreement and Ranma saw that there was no way out of the predicament.

Slowly he started, "I have no idea what it was, but it was so real. A castle, and someone coming in the night to…well…murder everyone in it. There was someone important, and I couldn't do anything about it. I think…God help me…I think it really happened."

"Some kind of repressed memory," pondered Nabiki.

Ranma shook his head, "Yes…and no. I don't think it happened to me. I don't know. I was a girl at the time, and there were other…demons there. I can almost remember them, but it's so vague, like it's just out of reach."

"Should I go looking around in there," Nabiki asked, reaching up to place a hand on the side of Ranma's head.

"No," Ranma quickly retorted, "No. I'm not sure it's something I want to remember. There was so much pain, the kind I had when I though I lost Shampoo back at the springs."

The Amazon girl shuddered and gave Nabiki a small shake of the head. The brown haired girl sighed and leaned into Ranma, letting go of the dream and simply comforting him by adding her hug to Shampoo's. Truth be told, she felt the need for contact just as much. She really had caught the tail end of the dream and knew the kind of pain that Ranma was referring to.

Slowly the teens settled down again, only to be rousted from bed a few moments later by Nabiki's alarm clock going off.

"Freaking typical," she groused, slapping the snooze button and sitting up again.

The morning progressed from there, Ranma's dream almost forgotten in the bustle of activity. Ranma and Nabiki worked in the dojo with Akane and Soun practicing in the yard. Kasumi, Kodachi and Shampoo worked in the kitchen fixing a breakfast for the household.

On the roof, Happosai sat, contemplating the various life energies flowing around the property, a pair of blue silk panties on his head. Since arriving and discovering Ranma he had been testing the boy, finding his limits, and was now trying to figure a way to teach the boy wile undoing the rest of the damage Genma had done to him.

The trick was teaching Ranma what he…or rather she needed to know without telling the boy too much too soon. There was no way he was going to let the martial artist go off half cocked trying to fight a battle he couldn't win.

The old master looked down as the family retreated into the house for breakfast. He took one last pull off his pipe, then doused it and put it away.

"Since there all eating," he said with a smile, "no one will be upstairs. It's time to go liberate some silky darlings." Grabbing the edge of the roof, Happosai swung down to Nabiki's room and slowly opened the window. Bouncing in, he listened to the early morning chatter at the Tendo breakfast table and counted the voices, then made a beeline for the dresser.

Sliding open the top drawer, the old man took in the small bounty of undergarments belonging to the middle Tendo sister. He smiled in glee at the rows of thongs, panties, and bras. He reached out a trembling hand towards a strapless black bra, and as his fingers grazed its silky surface there was a loud snap.

For a moment he looked at his hand in total amazement. Pulling his arm back, he saw that his entire hand was now gripped tightly by a small animal trap. Its steel jaw crushed into his fingers.

Finally he summed up his current feelings, "YEOUCH!!!"

Downstairs Nabiki could only smile at the yell and chuckle lightly into her miso soup.

_No carrot for you just yet, old man, _she thought to herself.

The day continued on relatively peacefully after that. Shampoo began classes at Furinkan in Ranma and Akane's class and was quite the hit with the boys of the school. Hiroshi and Daisuke both worked up the courage to make lame passes on the well built beauty, but were shot down with a simple phrase.

"Ranma is husband. You no look strong enough to beat him for right to date Shampoo."

"Oh come on," Hiroshi cried to the havens. "First Nabiki, now this girl too? What do we have to do to get any action around here?"

Daisuke put in his two cents with a simple, "Amen, brother."

The news that Ranma was married AND dating Nabiki spread like wildfire through the school and by lunch Ranma and Akane had been asked about the situation no less then a hundred times, much to the chagrin of the teacher who was interrupted any time someone new burst into the classroom in an excited frenzy to descend on the victim of the latest gossip.

Ranma, Shampoo, Nabiki and Akane met on the roof for lunch and let out a collective sigh.

"What the hell is wrong with these people," Ranma complained as he leaned hard on the fence at the edge of the roof.

Akane smirked, "This place was almost dull before you showed up. Now it's like there's a soap opera in our school, and everyone wants to see what happens next."

"Pretty accurate," Nabiki admitted, "Between the stupid fights you get into and the romantic drama with the three of us, its no wonder they act like they do. I figure that Shampoo already has half the male population of the school daydreaming about her."

"And the other half," Ranma asked.

Nabiki gave a wide smile, "The oh so mysterious redhead that's shown up every now and then. There's already a rumor that I'm two timing you with your own sister. Now with Shampoo in the mix I bet we'll be allegedly having an orgy by the end of the day. Maybe with Akane and Kodachi thrown into the mix as well."

"Oh no," the youngest Tendo groused, "Keep me out of your twisted little story. I'm already trying to live down the one Kuno is spreading about his 'pig tailed goddess' and me throwing ourselves at his noble feet." She stuck her finger down her throat and made a gagging noise, illustrating her opinion of that.

"Shampoo agrees with Tendo sister," the Amazon chimed in, shivering at the thought. "Stick boy hit head hard when little or something?"

The others chuckled at this, but Nabiki suddenly stiffened. Sending a mental warning to Ranma and Shampoo she scanned the area for what had set off her sixth sense. Soon she found that Happosai was once more on school grounds and making his way into the girl's locker room.

"The old letch is getting an early start today," Nabiki said, refocusing her eyes on the others. "I guess we should…"

"…beat the holy hell out of him," Akane finished and drew a large mallet out of her book bag.

Ranma pushed off the fence and sighed, "I'll go get him. He may be an old freak, but I don't want any of you getting groped by him while he's jumping around trying to escape."

Akane smirked, "And you are going to go into the girl's locker room? That's a joke."

"Not really," Nabiki laughed and flicked a small amount of milk at her fiancé. "Now she looks the part."

"Oh joy," Ranma deadpanned, wiping the liquid out of her eyes. Shampoo smiled and stood, licking the milk off the redhead's face.

"Maybe you make Shampoo purr later as reward for fighting old man."

Akane crossed her arms and looked away, "Get a room, you perverts."

"We already have one," Nabiki chuckled, "but we can't use it when we're at school, now can we. Off you go, lover girl."

Shampoo let Ranma go, and the demoness moved back to the fence, looking down to see how people were situated in the yard. Hopping to the top of the fence she gave a jaunty wave to the three girls and dove off. Her wings burst from her back and she silently glided into the nearby tree line and began working her way around to the locker room.

Silently approaching the building attached at the back of the gym, Ranma swooped between branches to keep her movements invisible not only to the sneaking Master but to the other students as well. Landing softly behind the structure she let her wings fold inwards and disappear.

With careful movements she moved along the outside wall, noting an open window where the miniature letch probably made his way in. Jumping up she grabbed the sill with her fingers and took a quick peek in.

Several lockers were already open and a small pile of neatly folded gym shorts were stacked on top of a brown cloth that Ranma recognized as Happosai's 'garment bag'.

Sliding into the open window, Ranma dropped to the ground and approached the last locker in a row that had quiet humming coming from inside. With a sudden burst of speed, she heaved the locker door open and reached in to grab the pervert. But when her arm withdrew all she held was a pair of lacy white panties.

"Good taste, don't you think?"

Ranma whipped around to try and find the voice of the old man, but Happosai was nowhere in sight. Panning left and right, her eyes could not find him and she figured the old man was hiding himself somewhere in the room.

"Afraid to face me in the open," she taunted. "That's actually pretty smart of you, little freak."

A chuckle sounded, and now Ranma realized that the voice was coming from all around her. Slowly she turned in place, trying in vain to find Happosai's hiding place. She was thinking quickly, but there were no real ideas coming to mind.

"Lost already," came Happosai's voice. "I'm surprised; you have all the tools you need to find me. I guess no one has showed you how though."

Ranma snarled, "What are you talking about, old freak."

"A demon has power, but a human has even more. Why else would they need to feed on us? You are a blending of the two, whether you realize it or not. Even in your current form you still hold your humanity dear. The core of that is your soul, and from your soul you can draw incredible power." Happosai saw that he had the redhead's interest and dropped the invisibility technique that he was using. "The power you can wield with your soul can allow you to do things that no demon could dream of. My little illusion is just one of them."

Ranma nodded her understanding of what the old master was saying and moved forward to stand before him. With blinding speed she then belted him in the head.

"What the hell was that for," Happosai growled after pulling himself out of the dent in the locker behind him.

Ranma snorted, "A lesson is good and all, but you still snuck in to the girl's locker room. Didn't you expect some people to be upset with that?"

Happosai grinned, "Sure, but that's not going to stop me from enjoying myself. So what do you say, help me pick up a few things here and I'll show you how to use some new techniques. Do we have a deal?"

"Or I could set you up for the beating you deserve," Ranma countered.

Happosai stiffened and slowly turned around, realizing that Ranma had maneuvered him so that his back was facing the door. Behind him stood Shampoo in cat-girl form, filing her already sharp claws casually; Nabiki who had a small collection of arrows from the archery club floating around her; and Akane who shouldered a mallet that would make Bugs Bunny tremble in horror.

"Oh crap," the Master summed up.

Jumping for the window he tried to make his escape, but Ranma was hovering in front of the opening, her wings once more spread and a small flame dancing from her fingers. Evaluating his options and finding them few indeed, he drew on one of the few techniques that Genma Saotome had developed that were actually useful in situations like this.

"Crouch of the Wild Tiger," he shouted and jumped in the middle of the four threatening girls and began bowing and scraping, trying to make himself look as pitiful as possible.

Ranma knew the style however, as she had seen it used with countless landladies. She knew that the next step would be to look for a way out that avoided angry females at all cost. Through Nabiki, Ranma positioned the other girls at the most likely of escape routes and waited for the old master to make his move.

Suddenly Happosai began to vanish from sight, his form dissolving into a transparent afterimage as he disappeared. Nabiki began wildly looking around the room, somehow unable to sense his mind. Shampoo had gotten down on all fours and had her head tilted back, sniffing the air with her cat form's enhanced sense of smell. Akane just marched over and began to swat the floor where the little pervert had been.

Ranma took all this in, and knew that each girl was using the abilities they had honed to find Happosai. Shampoo's hunter skills and animal like body and Nabiki's psychic powers were the most powerful tools in the room. Even Akane's random attacks had a small chance of finding the pervert.

_He said I had all the tools I needed,_ Ranma mused. She considered what the old man had said, souls and the power of a human, and tried to work out what he meant. Nabiki searched for his mind and Shampoo, and to a lesser extent Akane, were searching for his body. Could she somehow search for the little master's soul?

Closing her eyes in concentration, Ranma calmed her mind using meditation and began the process of reaching inside herself. She felt the demon fire inside her that she had used so often before, and once more drew upon it, letting it flow upwards, not to her hands but to her eyes. She focused her intent, molding the fire as it went until she felt it was ready, and then opened her eyes.

"Whoa," she said, drawing the attention of the other girls. They looked towards her and saw the familiar sight of Ranma's glowing eyes, but the blue orbs had adopted a flicker, and red fire danced in a ring in each eye.

"New trick," Shampoo asked as Ranma's eyes danced along her form.

Ranma smiled, "Sort of. I can see auras with this. You have a double image of your two forms. Nabiki has, I'm not sure, tendrils connecting her to the arrows she's holding up." Ranma looked at Akane, who flipped her middle finger at the redhead. "Sorry, already taken, Tendo. And did you know that your hammer is, well, infused with your aura?"

The others blinked at Ranma's commentary and looked at each other while the demoness searched the room with her burning eyes. Suddenly she pointed to a bench off to one side and smiled.

"Have you been sitting there the whole time?"

Happosai once more dropped his technique and lightly applauded, "That took less time than I hoped. Well done, my girl." He suddenly frowned and pointed an accusing finger at the redhead, "But you should not have used your demon' gifts for this. I told you that human energy is stronger, and you have a great deal of energy to use. I suppose we'll have to figure out a way to break you of this crutch."

Nabiki looked at the old martial artist with half closed eyes, "You're serious, aren't you? Ranma's demonic power has saved my life more than once, so why can't she use it?"

"I'm not saying she can't," Happosai answered, pulling out his pipe and tapping it in his hand as he made his points, "But as a tool, just like any other tool, it has its limits. In addition he has no access to it in his male form. Finally, there are things a demon simply can not do, but a human can. The reverse is true, yes, but if Ranma is to truly grow he needs to be able to grow in all aspects."

"And this involves my panties how," Akane snarled seeing the item on Happosai's bald head.

Happosai again began to sweat, "Can't blame an old man for trying, now can you?"

"Want to bet!"

The hammer swing that Akane executed was fast, efficient, and excessive in every way as the bench split in half and a sizable crater formed in the locker room floor. Happosai had no time to react, and at the head of the overly large tool was lifted again the girls saw a very flat Grandmaster of the Anything Goes School.

For the rest of the day Ranma, restored to male form, continued to contemplate what the old man had said. The fact that he had activated a new power was set aside at the idea that he could do the same thing in human form.

Focusing inward he tried to find the energy that Happosai had spoken of. He remembered how the monks he had met long ago spoke of chi and how it flowed threw all living things. He thought about Granny Cologne speaking in hushed tones about the masters who could harness their own life force and use unbelievable attacks with ki.

He even contemplated the movie he had seen years ago about the space people and the Force they used.

After school he kept at it, returning to the dojo and dropping into the lotus position, resuming his meditation.

"Still thinking about all those panties?"

Ranma opened his eyes and saw Akane starting her kata. He saw that her jab had only been half scornful and decided to take that as a good sign.

He spoke, "I think the old freak was actually trying to tell me something. It clicks with some stuff I've heard over the years, and now I'm trying to put it all together." He thought for a moment and then asked, "You know that hammer trick of yours? How do you do it?"

Akane blinked, startled by the honest curiosity in his voice, "I'm not sure. I get pissed off, pull it out and bam. That's pretty much it."

"No, I mean how do you get your aura to reinforce it like you do? Remember what I said I saw?"

Akane stopped her practice and considered what the pigtailed boy had asked.

Finally she answered, "I've never really thought about it before. I just take all that anger and…I guess I push it into the mallet. Then when I hit something the anger goes away and I feel a little better."

"An emotional trigger," came a voice from the door. The two teens turned and saw Happosai, apparently uninjured, sitting and leaning against the door frame. "A powerful thing, but very dangerous if used too often. You should be careful, my dear."

"What do you want," Akane growled. She stopped when Ranma put up a hand and saw that the young man was thinking overtime.

"Why is an emotional trigger dangerous?"

Happosai looked at the boy and answered, "You come to depend on the emotion, like an addict. After a while you start looking forward to the next time you feel it. Then you simply can't live without it. In the end it can destroy you."

Akane looked down at her hands. What Happosai had said fell too closely in line with the things her therapist had been saying for some time now, that anger was a weapon that cut its user as well as its target. Had she really been speeding along her own self destruction by lashing out at those that had done her harm? She looked up again when Ranma spoke.

"So if I don't use emotions to trigger that power, what do I use?"

The old master shook his head, "There is no real trigger. You have to draw the power itself. Your ki resides in every cell of your body and infuses you with every action. What you can do is learn to feel your ki as it flows through you, harness it, and make it flow in the manner you wish. Both of you have this potential, but it's up to you to figure out how to do it." He stood and turned away, "Think back to our first fight, Ranma. Remember what you FELT during that battle before your change. That may help you find the answer."

Ranma and Akane were silent after that, and Happosai withdrew from the dojo. Walking back into the house he passed Nabiki who was eyeing him with a small smile.

"And what can I do for you, Nabiki?"

She continued to smile, her hands drifting behind her back, "I have to say I'm honestly surprised with you. For a while I thought you were just in it to get your jollies, but it seems I was wrong. Here you go, you little letch."

She flipped something towards Happosai, who caught it reflexively. He held it up and he saw that they were a pair of simple white panties.

"Why, Nabiki, I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything," she replied dryly. "That's your reward for Ranma's night off. Don't expect to get lucky after that one though. I don't hand those out to anyone."

Happosai folded the garment with care and tucked it reverently into his gi. He then looked up at Nabiki as she stared out at the dojo, her eyes unfocused as she mentally watched her fiancé work out the new problem before him.

After a time she asked, "What's the hurry, old man?"

Happosai forced his expression blank, "What ever do you mean, Nabiki dear?"

The brunette sighed and looked down at the miniature master, "Teaching Ranma sideways, the only real way he gets things and the fact that in less then a week you're already coaching him on stuff right out of a legend or something. Did you really think someone wouldn't notice?"

"Not hardly," he answered, "I just hoped it would take a little longer. I have a reason, but right now neither you, nor he, are ready for it. All I ask is a little patience and all will be explained in due time."

Nabiki shrugged, looking uninterested, "If Ranma's in danger, again, I think he should know as soon as possible. But I'll leave it alone for now. Just remember, I could always just rip it out of your brain."

"That's not very polite dear. Besides, I'm a lot stronger then I look."

Nabiki shrugged again, "I haven't really tried yet." She locked eyes with him and Happosai felt a sharp stab in his head. "Fudge ripple," Nabiki told him plainly.

"Point taken," Happosai answered and bowed his head slightly. "And now that you know, I'm off to collect a pint of my favorite ice cream. See you later, cutie." The old man bounced away, leaving Nabiki to contemplate Ranma and Akane as they mulled over the old man's words.

Nabiki knew that she still wasn't a real martial artist, at least not on the level of her lovers or sister, and that she wouldn't be able to help much. This led to a bit of frustration on her part. She knew that Ranma needed to develop as a demon and a fighter, just as she needed to continue to reinforce her mental abilities.

Ranma was being 'taught' by Happosai, and Shampoo was still being trained by Cologne, but Nabiki had turned down the intense training of her companions. This did leave her in a bit of a bind however as she had no mentor to look to.

She was still pensive that night at dinner, but no one really noticed as Ranma and Akane were in the same position. Shampoo silently asked her loves, and found that Ranma and Nabiki had problems that for the moment were outside her grasp.

"_Shampoo not skilled enough yet to use ki like old man say,"_ she communicated to the others as they ate. _"As for a mentor, Shampoo has no answer at all. I'm sorry, Sister."_

"_No problem, Shampoo," _answered Nabiki, _"I figured it was something I'd have to do on my own."_

Ranma entered the conversation sending, _"Maybe I could help. My demon powers parallel some of yours. We could practice and make you stronger that way."_

"_Good idea, lover boy. But you should work out the whole energy thing first. I think the letch is up to something, and you may need that extra edge up the road."_

Ranma nodded his understanding, but Nabiki could tell that the young man didn't really want to let it go at that. She gave him a smile, one that she used to reassure him that everything would be all right.

Ranma for his part knew that it was only partly true, but he also knew how strong Nabiki was. He simply sent a wave of confidence to her, letting her know that he would be behind her no matter what. It was joined by a similar feeling from Shampoo and the three teens shared a smile between them.

"Ugh," Akane grunted at them, "I'm getting sugar shock from watching the three of you look all cutesy at each other." The table burst into a round of laughter at her comment, and with a smile Akane reassured her sister that she meant it in jest.

Later that night, Ranma once more stood in Nabiki's room, looking down at the two women he loved as they cuddled in their sleep. He walked out of the room, returning a few moments later in succubus form. Dropping her clothes she went to Nabiki's closet and withdrew her leathers.

Silently pulling on the outfit she had come to associate with her flying at night, Ranma planned a quick circuit of the town and then a shot at the new energy she was supposed to develop. As her corset cinched into place she let one gloved hand drift to her lips, giving two fingers a soft kiss and passing that along to the back of Shampoo and Nabiki's heads.

Walking steadily to the window in her high heels, a feat that she was rather proud of, Ranma slid the glass open and hopped onto the sill, letting her wings unfurl from her back. Then with a push she cast herself into the inky night.

Flapping her wings to quickly gain altitude, the redhead pushed herself as high as she could, then began a lazy glide around the outskirts of the district, working in a slow spiral to the center of town and landing on the roof of Furinkan high.

Remembering the time she had flown Nabiki up here, Ranma had a warm smile as she strode across the top of the clock tower until her toes found the edge of the building. It made her wonder why she loved these high places so much, but she had found herself more and more comfortable on a rooftop, or perched on top of a telephone pole.

Pushing the silent musing aside, Ranma called up her demonic power, allowing a small portion to flow into her hand and form a small red ball of fire. She focused, trying to feel out the energy in the palm of her hand, and how it connected to her. She followed its path, searching for where it came from, and how she had so easily called it out.

With mental strain she was able to follow the energy to its source, not surprisingly located just above the juncture of her legs. She let go of the gathered energy in her hand and let it fade away now that she had what she set out for. Focusing further, Ranma attempted to find other points of energy within.

Sweat developed on her brow as her senses turned further inward, and at the edge of her perception she caught a blue flicker. Careful to act slowly and not disturb the calm she had achieved, Ranma focused more on the soft blue as opposed to the fiery red of her demonic power. The inner light was warm in a comforting way, and Ranma could almost make out how it traveled her entire body.

For a moment she thought that she would be able to fuel her demon form with this new power, eliminating her need to feed on others, but try as she may, she was unable to grab hold of the strange power. It slowly dawned on her that her demon energy and this blue light, her ki, were incompatible as they were. Only other energy, other life could sate her hunger.

At least now she knew it was there. Next she would have to figure out how to use it.

"Damn and I thought finding you would be harder."

Ranma's eyes snapped open to see a female figure standing a short distance away. She was lithe and agile looking, and had a figure similar to her own, but maybe slightly younger. She had pink hair under a baseball cap and wore a red jacket and denim shorts. Over her pert breasts was a tee shirt with 'Jesus Saves…and only takes half damage' printed on it.

Ranma blinked at the newcomer, looking over the rooftop to see how she had gotten up here. Seeing the slightly taller redhead's confusion, the pink haired girl shrugged and with a rush of displaced air a pair of black wings unfolded from behind her, identical to Ranma's own.

Taking a step back Ranma spoke cautiously, "Who the hell are you?"

"Ok, I guess I really wasn't expecting the warm and fuzzy greeting anyway," the girl said with a smile. "My name's Alexis and as you can see, we're a lot alike. I've been sent looking for you, and with that beacon of power you were giving off a second ago, you nearly made me cream my panties. What did you do, suck off every guy in the district?"

Ranma almost stumbled off the roof at the girl's question. After catching herself and forcing a blush from her face, Ranma shoot an acidic look at the pink haired demoness.

"I was training," Ranma said, keeping her voice as level as she could, "trying to learn the difference between my ki and demon energies. Now then, who sent you looking for me?"

Alexis smiled, "You really don't know, do you? I mean, I can sense it, the connection is definitely there, but you don't remember a thing. What do you remember after you ran out on Father?"

"I never ran from Pops," Ranma snarled, "the old freak and Mister Tendo threw him out. Are you my illegitimate sister or something? Looking for Pops for payback?"

It was Alexis' turn to blink in confusion, "I guess the Wannabe was right, you really aren't my sister. But the connection is there, you are her reborn from that chaos magic in China. Can't you feel it?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Ranma said. To reassure herself however, Ranma focused inward again, trying to find if there was a connection to this girl. Before she could search far however Alexis spoke again.

"I guess it doesn't matter. Father still wants me to bring you to him. If you are a reincarnation and have lost all your memories I should tell you, it's a very bad idea to disobey him."

Figuring there was a threat in there, Ranma slid into a loose defensive stance and said calmly, "I have no idea what's going on here, but I've just gotten my life back from one manipulative father. I don't like the idea of going to another just because he demands it. The only way I'm going anywhere right now is by force, if you think you can."

"You sure as hell don't talk like Dizzy described you, but if it's a rumble you want then a rumble you get." With that Alexis hopped into the air and streaked towards Ranma.

Ranma however blinked hard and asked, "Did you say Dizzy?"

To be continued.


	28. Wings of Battle, Heart of Honor

Author's Note: The NWC and the situations they found themselves in were the work of Rumiko Takahashi and were distributed by Kitty and Viz. I use them without permission, but with humble respect for those before me, and I write this with no intent to profit from the efforts of others. There is sex, there is violence, and some foul language. If any of these offend or you are a minor, be gone with ye, tis not for you.

P.S.: by now you know I do this for Janice.

Despair looked up at her father as he ran his fingers through the hair of the lesser demoness positioned between his legs. The white haired succubus had a report to deliver, but the rules of the house were clear, never interrupt a hummer.

Sighing, she watched as the broken Amazon tended to the elder demon and wished she had more time to play with the transformed Enema, but her father had insisted on showing the prideful woman her place almost as soon as the initial interrogation was complete. In the most violent and debasing display that Despair had ever seen. Enema was slowly torn down over a month, and finally rebuilt into the near mindless slave that now served at her father's feet.

Finally she heard the familiar grunt of release and waited until Enema had finished cleaning off the demon then spoke softly.

"Guildmaster Baraguld, I have a report from your daughter, Alexis Nightbane."

The Elder demon simply nodded in acknowledgement, and Despair continued, "Alexis sends word that the area known as Nerima has a surprisingly large concentration of mortals with high energy levels. She says that it is slow going, even with the intelligence gleamed from China." She indicated the transformed Amazon and asked, "Are you sure that she has told us all she knows?"

The Guildmaster softly chuckled, "You may be correct, daughter. While she seems to hold no love for your wayward sister she may still hold some twisted loyalty to her so-called ancient history. But no matter, Alexis is, as they say, street smart. I have no doubt that she will find Amnara Nightbane and return her to me."

Despair asked cautiously, "But what of your toy's warning about the skills of this Ranma person?"

"Bah," Baraguld dismissed the matter, "mortal nonsense. No untrained fledgling could ever hope to defeat a true demon. Now leave me, and I shall continue to mine my toy for information." With that he yanked Enema up into his lap, roughly spinning her and driving into her.

Her rhythmic shrieking as she was violated from behind was a sharp counterpoint to the clicking of Despair's high heels as she left her father's chambers.

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 28

Wings of Battle, Heart of Honor

The pink haired missile flew towards Ranma in a flash, but the leather wearing redhead was able to spin on one heel out of the way. Diving off the roof of Furinkan High, Ranma opened her wings and caught the night air, gaining altitude over her unexpected opponent.

Alexis noted Ranma's maneuver and spun to fly upside down, tracking Ranma with one outstretched arm. A flash of red light shot out into the night, and Ranma had to dive again to avoid a fireball that missed her by a less then comfortable margin.

The two demons circled in the night, each gauging the other and formulating their next move. It was Alexis who acted first by releasing two more fireballs at Ranma and swooping in when the redhead dodged. A flame coated hand reached out to grab one leather boot, and for a moment Ranma's movement was arrested by the sudden added weight.

Ranma glanced down, and noted that Alexis' eyes were not the red that the part time girl had come to see as a battle state, and she hoped that this was a sign that the slightly smaller demon girl would not be going for the kill in this impromptu match.

Resolving to test herself, Ranma drew her wings in and became deadweight in the other succubus' arm. Alexis almost had the appendage ripped out of her shoulder as they suddenly began dropping to the earth below. She quickly released Ranma and spread her wings wide, watching as the redhead spiraled towards the ground.

At the last second, Ranma whipped her own wings open and pulled up with dizzying speed, aiming right for Alexis.

The two girls collided in mid air, Ranma catching Alexis under the chin with a flying haymaker that knocked the pink haired girl from the sky. Following her down, Ranma landed lightly in the school yard and watched as the succubus slowly pulled herself up, tenderly checking her jaw.

"Like I said," Ranma told her, "I'm not going anywhere. And I just don't think you have the skill to take me by force."

Alexis grunted and stood, "Just caught me off guard there. I'm not out of it yet, Big Sis."

"What are you talking about," Ranma moaned, "Why do you keep calling me that?"

"It's what you are," Alexis answered, her stance neutral as she looked for a way around Ranma's defensive stance. "Five hundred years ago, you ran away from Daddy and got yourself killed. The magic in those weird ass springs waited until you were reborn and unlocked your true form. I guess that it didn't unlock your memories though."

"They aren't my memories," Ranma stated, "but I have dreams. That was a different life, not the one I have now."

Alexis smiled slightly and answered, "That's where you belong, at Daddy's side with your sisters. You aren't some weak little mortal like the rest of these cattle; you're a goddess on earth. Why not come back?"

"All I saw in those dreams," Ranma quietly growled, "was pain and death. If you really think I'd ever go back to that, or that you could ever beat me into going back, you are oh so wrong."

With that, Ranma spun into action. Pumping demonic energy into her limbs, she allowed herself to slip into her Amazon training and increased her speed ten fold, blurring out of sight and appearing right in front of a startled Alexis. With a grunt of effort she planted a fist solidly in the other demoness' stomach, and the pink haired girl was lifted off the ground with a loud eruption of air from her lungs.

Tumbling back, Alexis attempted to put up a defense, but saw Ranma's form blur into high speed again. The only indication of where the redhead was the line of glowing red emanating from her eyes. The smaller succubus realized that her one time sister was dead serious and began throwing fireballs to cover herself as she fell back to gain ground on the rapidly advancing young woman.

Each fireball was met in mid air by a similar one as Ranma dropped out of high speed and channeled power into her attacks. As hellfire collided the detonations canceled each other out, and the two demons spun and twirled in the night seeking an opening in the other's defense at range.

Ranma's combat oriented thinking saw that her opponent was more used to this ranged style of combat. Her aim was effective even during the more gymnastic maneuvers the pink haired girl was executing. Ranma categorized this as a close match for Kodachi Kuno's fighting style, and realized that her own demonic attacks were making no headway against the slightly more powerful bursts from her adversary.

She attempted again to close the distance, but found that Alexis was no longer willing to let her. Taking to the air, the two girls spiraled around each other again, bursts of demonic energy clashing as they continued upwards.

Ranma thought, _She's better then me with ranged attacks, and a lot stronger with them too. I can't get close enough so that I'm in my element, so I have to figure out a way around her suppressing fire._

She barely managed to block the next round of bolts, however, and took a direct hit to the stomach. Falling to the ground, she landed hard knocking the breath out of her as Alexis swooped down and landed on top of her one leg on either side. The pink haired girl squatted down, planting her bottom on Ranma's stomach and keeping her in place as she snorted.

"Damn, Sis. Where did all that energy go you had a few minutes ago? Those blasts were like you were running on empty."

Ranma had to admit that she was feeling tired, then again the last time she had thrown this many hellfire blasts was in China during her brief stay in military custody. She took a moment to figure how much power she had left, and it didn't look good. Unless she could get recharged soon she would…

_This is exactly what the old freak was talking about,_ she realized. _I've become dependent on the demon energy when there's more right at my fingertips._

Focusing inward again, she reached for the soft blue glow that had tickled her senses earlier that night. The feeling was fleeting, but Ranma knuckled down and brushed against the surface of the glow.

Alexis was enjoying her position on top of the reborn demon. Rarely was she the dominant one in a fight, and usually a practice ended with Dizzy whipping her into submission. She was about to fire off another verbal jab at Ranma when the hairs on the back of her neck almost jumped off her body. Looking down she saw Ranma's eyes open and she gulped loudly.

They were blazing white and illuminated the area around them almost as clear as day.

"Let's kick this up a notch, shall we," Ranma said and heaved the stunned demon girl off her. Flipping upright, Ranma channeled her ki across her body allowing it to seep into every pore and revitalizing her.

She watched as Alexis stood, visibly shaken by the display of Ranma's power, and attempted a fire coated right cross at Ranma. The redhead knocked the punch away, sliding inside Alexis' defense and catching her left arm in a hold, leaving her open for the follow up.

Focusing her ki into her hand, Ranma brought it back and fired an open palm strike at Alexis' exposed stomach, shouting out, "SOUL BUSTER!"

The Shaolin style palm strike discharged a burst of white light and Alexis found herself flying through the air not under her own power. She had gone screaming twenty feet or so when her flight was ended by a large concrete wall at the edge of the teacher's parking lot. Slumping to the ground she found her entire body numb and could only listen and watch as Ranma strode over to her, the redhead's heels clicking against the pavement.

Ranma considered her downed foe, and even now after the devastating counter attack she found that the younger demon had no real hate in her eyes, only confusion. Pausing, she looked down at the immobilized teen, who seemed to sigh and wait for something, a wince on her face as if she were expecting another blow.

Ranma asked, "Are you all right?"

Alexis found her voice again and asked, "Um, yeah, just a little numb." There was silence for a moment and the younger demon looked up at her leather wearing opponent and saw a smile of relief. "Aren't you…you know…going to finish me off, or something?"

Ranma blinked, "Why would I do that? I just said you weren't going to force me to go anywhere, I never said anything about killing you. I've had about enough of that already, and if I can avoid it I'd never like to do it again."

Alexis blinked and gazed at the standing succubus, lit from behind and bathed in moonlight. There was an aura of power about her that she had never felt from one of her kind before, and she did not know whether to be frightened or entranced.

She asked Ranma softly, "What are you?"

Ranma knelt down next to her sister from another life and pulled off a leather glove, holding up the exposed hand to her downed foe.

"Take a look for yourself."

Hesitantly, Alexis raised her own arm, and took the offered hand in a light grip. Opening her senses as she would to feed, she was flooded by sensations that showed the redhead was indeed a sex demon, but at the same time there was a soft light that felt like the sustenance that she had drawn on for so long.

She felt the hunger inside, and used what little strength she had left to push herself upright, latching onto a surprised redhead's lips. Alexis surrendered herself to the feeling as the two way tingle of succubi coming into contact, and she could feel Ranma shudder at the sensation as well.

The redhead was surprised by the sensation of the kiss, and almost broke contact due to the feelings of guilt she felt about it. She stopped however when she felt the wave of sensations increase, and in addition to the very pleasurable feelings received from the pink haired girl; she also felt a tug deep within her. It took her a moment to realize that she had felt the sensation before.

During the many times she had feed off of Nabiki, Ranma had been exposed to the sensation via the psychic feedback that the girls felt during their lovemaking. It was the hyper intense feeling of a succubus feeding on life energy, and it took all of Ranma's will not to orgasm right then and there from the seemingly simple kiss. After a time, she felt Alexis pull away, the taste of her tongue still in her mouth.

"What are you," the girl asked, "how do you have this power?"

Ranma responded, "You say that I'm your sister reborn, but that's not really true. She died in a cursed spring five hundred years ago, and a few months ago I fell into that spring, releasing the magic. My curse changed me from a human, but I never stopped being one."

"That's not possible," Alexis insisted, "The Amazon we captured said that you were trying to fulfill some hooky prophesy about a demon reborn. Dad thought it meant that Amnara had returned."

Ranma grabbed the slightly smaller girl by the shoulders, a wild look on her face, "How do you know that name?"

"It's my big sister's name. She left Dad before I was born, but Dizzy was always telling me about her. She was the best fighter of the Guild who went soft for a human and turned her back on us. She never seemed mad about it though and seemed happy when the wannabe told us about you."

Ranma rocked back off her heels and landed with a thump on the ground, "Wannabe? Amazon? Was her name Enema?"

Alexis nodded slowly and Ranma swore softly under her breath, "Where is that old lunatic now?"

"Dad has her."

Ranma raised her hands up, slowly rubbing her temples, "After all we went through…I thought I killed her."

"You nearly did," Alexis said. For a moment she wondered why she was so calm around this strange person who clamed to be demon and human. She remembered the taste of the redhead and couldn't help but accept that there was something very different about her.

She continued by saying, "Look, I really think it would be best if you came with me. After all, Dad may be able to figure out what had happened to you, and then you can go back to being your true self."

Sighing, Ranma stood up again, "Sorry Cupcake, but I'm Ranma, not Amnara, and I want nothing to do with your father. Mine was no prize, and used me as a little pawn in his games. I think they may be cut from the same cloth, and yours will toss you aside in a heartbeat if it means he gets his way. I can only tell you to get out while you can."

With that the redhead opened her wings and jumped into the night. Even with demonic enhanced sight Alexis quickly lost track of her in the sky and sighed heavily. She leaned against the cracked wall, levering herself upright and found that even with the small bit of energy she had surprisingly gotten from that kiss she was still weak, and severely injured.

"What the hell was all that about?"

"The changing of the times," answered a voice from above her. Alexis slowly turned, still leaning against the wall and looked up to see a small form perched on top of the school barrier. It hopped down into the light and Alexis was once more shocked that night.

"Master Happosai!"

"Hello, little one," the old man said and took in her beaten appearance, "I see my new apprentice worked you over, and not in the nice way."

Collecting herself, Alexis spoke softly, "The Guild would want me to kill you, you know."

Happosai chuckled, "Are you going to do it?"

The pink haired demon slumped once more against the wall, "No, not after everything you did for me before you left. If it wasn't for you I may never have survived. But what do you mean by your apprentice?"

"Ranma, of course," the old man smiled. "Anyone that could shoulder your power and still hold on to what makes a human has the potential to exceed even the Guildmaster. By the way, do you intend on telling that fool I'm still alive?"

Alexis shrugged, "I may not have a choice. I have to tell Dizzy that I blew my mission to retrieve our sister, but I could leave it out, if you tell me what the hell is up with her."

Pulling out his pipe, Happosai seemed to consider this for a moment. After lighting it and taking a few long pulls on the slender stem he looked at his one time student and nodded.

"What you saw was an amalgam of your sister and a young human cursed with the luck of being fathered by a total idiot. Ranma did indeed fall into a cursed spring which created the physical transformation into the form you saw tonight, but ancient magic, even older then the Guild itself is at work. Ranma is surprisingly willful, and was able to overcome the innate power of your race. Her soul is intact, as you no doubt tasted just moments ago."

Alexis repressed a shiver caused by the memory and looked wide eyed into the sky where the other demon girl had vanished.

"A demon with a soul," she whispered, "how is that possible?"

Happosai smiled, "Determination, courage, and love. Had it not been for her own stubborn nature and the guidance of…well…a maternal figure, Ranma no doubt would have given in and lost that spark long ago. Now she has love around her, and powerful supporters who stand beside her. In a way Ranma has rediscovered what your sister found out so long ago."

Alexis asked, "What did Amnara find? Was it what caused her to leave?"

"She found love in the arms of a mortal," Happosai said, "and that was not what led to her turning her back on your father. He found out and murdered her love. His dislike of all 'lesser beings' led to Amnara Nightbane finding a new path."

Alexis shook her head, "I don't understand."

"That's the sad part. You and your sister have never really felt love, but I think that if you spend enough time with Ranma and his wives, you could find what he found. That is if you really want to know." With that the old master hopped away into the night.

Alexis sighed one last time, "I don't think Dad would let me." After a pause she added, "Did he say 'he?'"

Elsewhere, Ranma alighted on the roof of the Tendo Dojo, her heels clicking on the slate tiles. Her expression was troubled, and as she looked across the yard to Nabiki's window she ran over the recent past in her mind.

"Amnara had a sister," she muttered to herself. The memories of dreams and the one encounter with the being inside her own mind that claimed the name Amnara worked their way across her mind, but no matter how hard Ranma thought, she felt as if she were still missing a piece of important information.

Taking a deep breath of night air to clear her mind, Ranma lightly jumped up and glided over to Nabiki's window, silently letting herself in. She found Nabiki awake and lightly stroking Shampoo's still sleeping form, as if the Amazon were in her cat-girl body. The Tendo girl did nothing to hide her look of concern, but said nothing as Ranma stripped out of her leather, placing it back into the closet and turning to the bed.

Finally she spoke, "Rough night, lover girl?"

Ranma nodded and slid onto the bed, her hand joining Nabiki's in running through Shampoo's long blue hair.

"I guess you picked up that I was in a fight." Nabiki nodded, but let Ranma continue, "The fight wasn't a problem. The person I was fighting was. She claimed to be my sister."

"Another Genma screw up?"

Ranma lowered her head, "No. She was a demon, a full one. She claimed to be Amnara's younger sister."

Nabiki blinked, "As in the redhead I…you…we fought in your mind?" At Ranma's nod she summed up both their feelings, "Damn."

"The worst part," Ranma said, laying her head down on a pillow, "is that I think, or feel rather, that she was telling the truth. There was some kind of connection, itching at the corner of my mind." She took a deep breath and looked at her fiancé, "I think I want to take you up on that offer you gave, about looking inside my mind."

Nabiki nodded, "All right. After you get out of work tomorrow, I'll take a dive into that brain of yours and see what's going on. For now, get some rest."

Ranma nodded, and after a quick kiss to Nabiki, and a light one to Shampoo's shoulder, Ranma closed her eyes and tried to put the night's encounter out of her mind and drift to sleep.

The next day, Ranma reported to work after class. This was going to be her first solo shift, and the redhead was bouncing with nervous energy as she changed for work in the store's back room. After punching in she strode out to the floor and gave Yuki a high five as her coworker handed her the store keys.

"Four hours on your own," she chirped as Ranma looked down at the small pieces of metal. "Just don't burn the place down before the boss lady comes in at eight."

Ranma smirked, "Oh sure, give me the hard job, why don't you."

Yuki grinned and took in her young friend's appearance. Since the sexy redhead had started working at the store Yuki had been trying to get the girl to lighten up more and come out of the shell she was in. Ranma had told her that she had grown up on the road with an abusive father, and the poor girl screamed 'tomboy', but the sales girl had seen how comfortable Ranma was in a super sexy leather outfit the first time she had met her.

After slowly chipping away at her, Ranma was now dressed to kill. Professional with a hint of teasing, and were it not for the fact that Yuki considered herself 90% straight she would have tried steeling her coworker away from Nabiki Tendo.

"All right, girlfriend," she smiled at Ranma. "See you when I see you."

Ranma sighed as Yuki left. She was now in hell. A moderately priced, very sexy hell, which she was slowly getting used to, but hell none the less.

She slowly made her rounds of the small shop, making sure everything was in order and clean. As customers trickled in she tended to them, careful to smile and be polite as Nabiki had taught her. She presented herself as the cute, friendly sales person there to help as needed.

After a while, Ranma found her rhythm, and was walking the floor again during a lull when the door chimed, signaling another customer.

"Welcome to Renee's, how can I…"

Ranma stopped dead in her tracks as a pink haired girl stood slack jawed in the doorway.

"Oh crap," the two girls said at the same time.

Ranma watched Alexis' indecision flash across her face, and fought her first instinct to go into a combat stance. Keeping a wary eye on the full demon, Ranma raised her open hands and spoke calmly.

"I'd like to keep my job, so why don't we call truce. I don't think you came looking for a fight, and Nabiki will kill me if I get fired."

Alexis blinked at the redhead and thought for a moment. Finally she nodded slowly and Ranma let out a sigh of relief. The two girls stood across from each other, held in place by concern that the other was going to make a move that would break the truce.

Finally, Ranma said in a sheepish voice, "How can I help you."

The pink haired demon blinked again, and nodded to herself. _If she's willing to call this neutral ground, so am I. Besides, I really don't want to get slapped around again if I can help it._

Out loud she said, "Actually, you're the reason I'm here. I hate to say it, but you looked totally hot last night, and I thought I could expand my wardrobe a little. I'll admit I was trying to be a little different with my look from the rest of our kind, go for the punk look and all that. But, damn you were fine in that leather."

"Um, thanks, I think," Ranma said, unsure as to what to make of the other girl. "So what kind of look were you thinking about?"

Alexis looked around the small shop and migrated to the back where leather and other, more durable garments were displayed. Running her hand along one halter top, feeling the material, she let out a sigh.

"I'd like to try a look like yours, but I don't really want to stray from the image I've built for myself. You know, the candy punk look." She gestured down at herself and Ranma took in the denim shorts, red jacket, and tee with three pixilated ghosts on it.

Ranma's mind shifted into gear, looking at her sister from another life. Finally she moved forward and picked a few simple pieces out.

Handing them over, she said, "I think these will be your size. The fitting room is over there, try them on." The pink haired girl blinked, and took the offered leather. Walking in to the small stall, she looked into the full mirror on the wall and held up the first of the items.

"For someone who's supposed to be half human, she has good taste," she muttered to herself and started to change. A few minutes later she called out, "Damn, Ranma. You are good at this."

Ranma smiled and replied, "I pick it up mostly from my coworker. She has a real knack for finding the perfect match for anyone, and I've been trying to learn from her."

"Want to see," Alexis asked.

Ranma hesitated, but shrugged and answered, "Sure, why not."

Alexis stepped out of the fitting room ad Ranma was torn between smiling at her choice and sweating due to the sudden increase in heat as the result. Alexis now wore a tight pair of leather shorts and had discarded her tee for a red leather bra. In place of her baseball cap she sported a black chocker with a single steel stud in the middle. A pair of fingerless black gloves finished the look.

"Just needs one thing to get your look back," Ranma said after finding her tongue. She gave the demoness her jacket back, and Alexis shrugged it on. Turning in place she looked back into the mirror once more and found her image to be a perfect cross between cute, sexy, and dangerous.

"Hot damn," she whispered and turned back to the redhead, "I'll take it."

Ranma turned away, both to go ring up the sale and to pull her eyes away from her potential sister, but before she could take a step Alexis' arm snaked around hers and pulled her into the small changing room. The two girls stood pressed together, and Ranma started fighting between conflicting sensations.

"You still owe me," Alexis whispered into her ear, "for all the energy it took to heal myself after you beat the crap out of me." She pulled Ranma into a hug, and the redhead's ponytail stood on end as the demon girl's smaller breasts pressed into her own. "I can smell your heat, and I can feel your desire. You like what you see, don't you?"

"I can't," Ranma choked out.

Looking Ranma in her blue eyes, Alexis asked, "Why?"

"There are two people I love, and I don't want to betray them any more then I have. Throw in what I've done to people because of these powers, and I can't risk it. I don't want to lose who I am."

Alexis frowned for a moment, but answered, "You're more then human, and more then a demon. If you have people that love you, good for you. But no matter how much you deny it, your body sings for the touch of a lover all the time. How often do you feed, or just fuck for the fun of it?"

Ranma looked away, "I feed as little as I can. I won't hurt people, no matter what."

Alexis looked shocked, "How can you survive? If I don't get laid at least every night, I'd go nuts." She took a deep breath and added, "I'm not trying to force you to do anything, and I know you could get out of here any time you wanted. I'm just trying to understand you, and maybe convince you I'm telling the truth."

Ranma allowed her arms to work around the slightly shorter girl and closed her eyes, "Believe me, there's something there, and I think it's the connection between you and Amnara, but I'm really not her. And even if I was, I still don't think that I'd want to go back with you. She left for good reasons, and the Amazons took her in."

"And according to Enema, they killed her," Alexis said.

"True," Ranma shrugged, "but they also realized their mistake. And seeing as I am the result of the curse, and they've treated me well, I've got no complaints. All I'm asking you is that you treat me like Ranma, not someone who's been dead for five hundred years."

Alexis sighed and leaned into Ranma once more, "Damn it, you sure make it hard. I'm supposed to get the powerful fighter and demon that was my sister, and I find someone who can just make me melt inside. I hope your lover has it this good."

"Better," Ranma said with a smile. "But why are you coming on to someone who's supposed to be your own sister?"

"Such things don't matter to our kind," Alexis said. She then pressed hard into Ranma, pushing the redhead against the wall and planted a searing kiss on her lips. Ranma was shocked, and for a moment tried to pull free, but curiosity made itself known. She had felt the indescribable sensation of Alexis' kiss before when the pink haired girl had taken some of her energy. Now was the chance to find out what it was that Alexis was trying to get across to her.

With a silent apology to Shampoo and Nabiki, Ranma opened herself to the kiss and began returning it. The two girls slowly probed each other's mouths, hands running up and down each others back. Both of them felt the spark of heat between them increase, and it grew quickly. She shuddered as Alexis' hands ran up her back and along her sides, sliding around to lightly cup her breasts

The two demons moaned softly and continued to lose themselves to the sensations. For Ranma it was the first time she had truly felt the link between two demons, and it was far more intense then the fleeting contact they had made the other night. She mentally scolded herself, realizing that this feeling could quickly become addictive.

For Alexis, she was flooded with not only the sensation of contact, but feeding as well. She drew a small trickle of energy from the redhead, and savored its sweet flavor. Beyond that, however, was another feeling. It was obviously coming from Ranma, and it was something she had never truly felt before.

She could only call it love.

Perhaps it was not the passion of a lover, or even the sisterly love that she had wondered if she was even capable of. Instead, it was a love of life itself. She could almost see Ranma's feelings, her love for two mortals, her sadness from the sensation of being alone, and even her joy when she was accepted for who she was by the ones she cared for.

Alexis gasped at the feelings that flooded her, and mentally chastised herself for longing for their siren song. If she was not careful, she would find herself addicted to them.

"Ahem."

Ranma and Alexis nearly jumped out of their skin at the sound and the immediately separated, clinging to opposite walls of the changing room and gasping for air. Turning to face the now open door to the small stall, they saw a woman in a business suit lightly tapping her foot, a look of amused patience on her face.

Ranma quickly recognized the woman, late twenties, red shoulder length hair, and a bosom that rivaled her own. The demoness gulped in realization that this was her employer.

"I didn't hear you come in, Ms. Renee," Ranma said lamely.

The older redhead smirked, "With all that panting and moaning, no wonder. I realize that our merchandise is supposed to get people feeling frisky, but a staff member should at least hold it in till their break."

"I am so fired."

"Not just yet, Kiddo," the store owner said, "I see that the girl you were swapping spit with has some of our items on her person. Can I assume that she was going to pay in cash instead of hot sweaty sex?"

"That was an option," Alexis asked, hope in her eyes.

Ms. Renee blinked at the pink haired girl and sighed, "Just ring her up already, will you." She watched the two girls scramble out to the main floor and added under her breath, "As if that one didn't already have enough on her plate."

Quickly ringing up Alexis' purchase, Ranma struggled to regain her lost composure. It was rather difficult when the succubus she had just been rather personal with was leaning against the counter, her cleavage exposed with her new leather top. Finally finishing the transaction, Ranma handed her the bag and spoke softly.

"Look, I'm not sure what's going on. And to be brutally honest, I'm pretty sure I don't want to get involved. But I'm gonna tell you two things, and they are really important." Alexis nodded her understanding and Ranma continued, "First, I'm not looking for any fights, so I've got no trouble with you or yours unless you make it."

"I'm getting that impression," the pink demon girl said with a shrug.

Ranma smirked, but then turned deadly serious, "Secondly, and more important. If Enema is really still alive, and your father or whatever has her, be careful. She's sneaky, low, and more powerful then she seems. She was willing to bring down an entire people for her petty revenge, so watch your back; it may wind up with a knife in it."

Alexis blinked at the warning, "That almost sounds like you care."

"Make no mistake," Ranma replied, "I'm pretty sure I want nothing to do with another abusive old man." She paused, and then continued, "But if you really wind up being my sister or something…well, you'd be the only family I've got really…" The redhead trailed off, a sad look on her face.

Alexis could almost feel her heart break at the look on the other girls face and tried to cheer her up, "Look, I'm calling my sister, Dizzy, tonight and give her the lowdown on what happened. Maybe she can talk Dad into backing off. Then you and I could pal around, get into trouble, get laid. You know, fun stuff."

Ranma scratched the back of her head, "Um, I don't know. I guess that would be nice, but maybe leave out the…um…getting laid part. Nabiki and Shampoo wouldn't be too happy about that, I think. And I'm still pretty uncomfortable with all this."

"You're a prude succubus?" Alexis' disbelief was evident, "nothing's better then a little cock to pick us up when we're down."

Ranma almost turned green and gulped, "I guess Enema didn't tell you I like girls."

"I figured that from the smooch in the back," Alexis smirked at the redhead's discomfort, "You should try it though. Nothing like man meat between the legs."

Ranma was starting to fidget wildly now, and before Alexis could say anything else she blurted out, "Oh look, there's the boss. Gotta go talk to her for a sec. Thanks for shopping with us, bye now!" She then ducked out from behind the counter and sprinted to the back of the store where the other redhead could be seen working amongst the racks.

The pink haired demoness blinked and wondered aloud, "What was that about?"

Meanwhile, Ranma had raced into the back room and stood panting by the door to the main store. It took her a few moments to calm herself after Alexis' blunt statements, and she had only just started recovering from the short circuiting kiss she had shared with the pink haired girl.

"Are you all right, Ranma?"

The redhead jumped up at the noise, screaming in surprise and clinging to the ceiling. After a moment, she looked down to see her boss had poked her head into the back room and was looking wide eyed at the young woman glued to the light fixture in the back room.

Renee asked lightly, "Does that mean you're not all right?"

Ranma dropped back down to the floor and bowed apologetically to the older redhead, "I'm sorry, ma'am. It's just been a rough day, and there's a lot going on and…" She trailed off, finding herself unable to explain about her sister from another life and the odd sensation her succubus side experienced. Especially since she didn't want her employer to find out she was a sex demon in disguise.

"It's all right, Ranma," Renee said, leaning against the door frame. "Why don't you head home early? You seem to be pretty messed up right now."

"Thank you ma'am," Ranma said, bowing again and punching out.

She was about to walk out of the back when Renee stopped her again, "Two things before you go. First, you should probably talk to Nabiki about this girl you were kissing in here today. Keeping a tryst like that a secret from your partner can hurt you in the long run."

"Believe me, I understand," Ranma sighed. "I need to talk to her about it anyway." _But for more then just the kiss,_ she mentally added.

The store owner nodded, "Secondly, as much as I love the free advertising, you really should button up before you go home."

Ranma blinked in confusion, then followed the older redhead's eyes down and saw that her blouse was completely undone. She realized with a deep blush that Alexis had undone her top and was feeling her up in the fitting room, and she had never redone her blouse afterwards.

Turning around quickly, Ranma redid her shirt and slowly sulked out of the store, hoping that Nabiki's exploration into her mind that night would clear up many of the confusing sensations and memories that were rampaging through her mind at the moment.

Renee could only chuckle as the girl left her store, "Kids today…" Then she remembered the rather intense scene she had walked in and sauntered over to the phone.

Dialing quickly, she spoke into the receiver, "Hi handsome. I'm closing the shop early, so I'll be home in a few. No reason, but get ready for a ravaging…"

To be continued.


	29. Who Needs Acid

Author's Note: The NWC and the situations they found themselves in were the work of Rumiko Takahashi and were distributed by Kitty and Viz. I use them without permission, but with humble respect for those before me, and I write this with no intent to profit from the efforts of others. There is sex, there is violence, and some foul language. If any of these offend or you are a minor, be gone with ye, tis not for you.

P.S.: by now you know I do this for Janice.

Ranma settled down in front of Nabiki, trying to calm himself. Off to one side sat Shampoo, who still had reservations about this, but was there none the less both to support her loves and guard them while they were deep inside Ranma's mind.

"I have no idea what this is going to feel like," Nabiki said softly, "I'm really just rummaging around looking to shake loose memories, if they are there. Are you sure that this is a good idea, especially if that other demon really is your sister…or hers rather?"

"No," Ranma admitted. "It's just something I have to do. The springs, my dreams, Alexis, and even the Amazon's prophecy, it's all connected somehow, and if we don't figure it out we could be in a lot of trouble down the road."

Shampoo nodded, "Information is power, Nabiki should know that. If these other demons come to make war on us we must be ready for them. That mean knowing why they come after husband."

"All right, all right. Just bear in mind that I'm still not sure what I'm doing here. Things may get a little weird." Nabiki then closed her eyes and began concentrating. Once she had calmed the storm of her thoughts and emotions, she nodded and reached her hands up. Ranma carefully took them into his own and guided them to the sides of his head.

Just before they made contact, Ranma softly spoke, "I trust you."

Then the world fell out from under him.

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 29

Who Needs Acid When You Have a Psychic Girlfriend

Amnara awoke slowly, stretching her arms above her head and luxuriating in the warmth of soft blankets. She opened her eyes and smiled at the form of the young man next to her, and felt the arms of his wife wrapped around her lithe form. She truly loved this feeling, and had decided to let the couple remember the intense night of passion they had shared.

But before she left to meet the others she needed one last thing.

She had forgotten his name during the night, but at this point it didn't matter. It was breakfast time. And in the early morning light she took her fill of his essence.

Once finished, Amnara sat up, stretching out once more and letting her body enjoy the flood of power she had just consumed. When she stopped, she saw that the man's wife had been woken up by the disturbance and was looking around, slightly confused.

The demoness reached over and took the young woman's face in her hand, giving her a deep, passion filled kiss. The wife's eyes shot wide open as the memories of the previous night filled her. The young redhead they had found wandering the street. The warm meal they had shared. She even remembered when the seemingly young girl had begun climbing into their bed, mounted her husband and touching her in ways that were truly unknown.

It was wrong, she knew. And the chaplain of their small village would no doubt have them ostracized if he ever found out. But she didn't care, it had felt so wonderful.

The kiss finally ended and Amnara spoke softly, "I'm still hungry. I think we need to arouse you husband once more."

With trembling hands, the human woman moved to embrace Amnara, who only the previous night she had thought a homeless waif, and began wantonly rubbing their bodies together in full view of the husband. She felt almost enthralled by the redhead's presence and eagerly helped her in once more seducing her husband.

Later, as the three of them came down from the climactic bliss, Amnara lowered the woman into her husband's arms. She moved slowly, as not to upset the couple as they once more drifted off into sleep, and got off the bed, walking to where she had cast off her disguise the previous night.

Pulling the light dress over her head, she smiled at the two sleeping humans. It was normally against the rules to let anyone remember an encounter, but these two had been very satisfying, and Amnara felt that if she was ever going to be in this small village outside London again, it would be nice to have a place to stop for a warm, and welcome, meal.

She left the small home with a smile on her face, greeting the other early risers with warmth and friendliness as she made her way out of the town. She even took a moment to give a greeting to the village priest. She smelled the scent of corruption on him, and knew that he was not as devout as his followers believed, but it was not her concern. She was on a mission, and could not be swayed from it now that she had feasted.

It was over an hour outside of town when she finally stopped, looked back to make sure she was not followed, and allowed the simple cotton dress to dissolve around her and form her more comfortable work attire. Black leather formed to cover her from mid breast to the very tops of her hips, a simple triangle extending downward to cover the small delta of red hair between her legs and extend upwards again in a simple string between her buttocks to connect with the corset like body of the ensemble. Her tall boots and long gloves quickly formed as well, and a simple choker appeared around her neck.

Once her clothes had reformed, she turned to look up into the trees lining the road and caught sight of another woman standing on a branch, waiting for her. The white haired woman wore leather as well in the form of white straps that encircled and crossed her body. The woman jumped down, and a pair of dark leather wings sprang from her back to aid in a gentle landing on the ground next to Amnara.

"Someone looks well fed," the taller demon smiled as she closed the distance to the redhead. Amnara welcomed the newcomer with open arms, and the demonesses hugged warmly and shared a brief kiss.

The redhead smiled back after the kiss and said, "I couldn't help it, Dizzy. You know I prefer to be well fed before we have to go out on an assignment."

The white haired succubus playfully punched her younger sister's arm and scowled, "How many times do I have to tell you?"

The two of them chorused, "My name is Despair."

The smiles on both their faces spoke of a long running joke between them. Amnara shrugged, expressing both her unconcern over the name of her sister and allowing her own wings to fold from her back.

"So, are you going to tell me what's so important to drag two of us out here, or do I have to guess at Father's intentions?"

Despair almost giggled at her younger sister's flippant attitude, but quickly sobered as she gestured for them to take to the air. Both demonesses leapt skyward, and with a rush of air had climbed above the tree line and began moving quickly away.

Flying close to each other, Despair filled Amnara in on their assignment, "A noble outside of the Guild's influence has found out a little about us. It normally wouldn't be an issue, but he has influence with the crown, and is too smart for his own good. Father felt it best if he were eliminated as quickly and quietly as possible."

Amnara sighed, "Why not send a regular assassin? The Guild has more then enough to spare for such a little thing."

"True," Despair agreed, "but Father wants this done in a way that will send a clear message to a few of the doubters in the lower ranks. The Guildmaster's will is absolute, and no one defies him."

"Fine, fine," the redhead grunted. "Never mind that I was happy working the brothels in London. Forget the fact that across the world I'm the Guild's ambassador to the other clans. I hate getting my hands dirty like this."

The older demoness laughed, "It's your own fault. If you hadn't learned all those fancy fighting moves from the tengu at the other end of the Great Silk Road you never would have beaten the Guild arms master and made yourself known as our best fighter. Skill, power and a flock of slaves ready to cum on your command back home, I hate to say it but I'm a little jealous of you, little sister."

That made Amnara pause for a moment. It was well known that she had a high standing within the group of demon clans that made up the Guild, but the fact that her own sister, who was considered the Guildmaster's right hand, saw her in that way made her nervous.

They flew onwards in silence after that, Despair leading the way. After a few hours of flight, the older demon motioned for them to land in the forest below on the outskirts of another village, this one attached to the periphery of a castle.

As they landed, Amnara turned to her sister and asked, "So if it's to be done quickly and quietly, what's the plan?"

Despair smiled and willed her leather straps to unwind and fad away. As the last of the straps dissolved, a new set of clothing formed around her taking the shape and colors of a simple maid in noble livery.

"I was thinking you'd be the spoiled brat of a noble who was running away from home with her trusted nanny."

Amnara slapped her forehead and groaned, "I really hate that routine."

"To bad you're so good at it then," said Despair in a joking voice.

Raising her arms, the redhead demoness willed her outfit to change as well. It took on a red hue and softened into cotton and silk that wrapped comfortably around her to create a dress of fine quality that was cut in the style popular with the court. With a twirl she checked the dress, and smiled lightly when she saw Despair's approval.

The two disguised demonesses began the short walk into the village proper, making sure to be seen by both guard and common folk alike. As they walked through the town, Amnara fell into her role, babbling incessantly and with little regard to the ears of people around her as Despair muttered quiet apologies to those that sent looks of death at the seemingly air headed noble.

As they made their way to the castle itself they were also setting up their back story to those who listened in.

"This is so quaint, I told you it would be worth the trip, no matter what Daddy said."

"Yes, M'lady, but your father will be most displeased that you left with no notice."

As they passed a set of guards resting in the town square they continued.

"If this lord is half the man I've heard, there will be no way he would let me continue to chafe under Father's yoke. Imagine, a flower such as me forced to marry that pig of a captain just so father could get a few treats from the Colonies."

"But your place is at home, M'lady. It would be a good position as a Captain's wife."

Finally, they settled on an inn, and in a whisper just loud enough for the guard headed towards the castle to hear, Amnara let the final piece slip into place.

"I'd drop my knickers in an instant if the lord here is of the right cut."

As they headed in, they saw the guard blush and increase his pace. It was an old and somewhat shameful tactic, but rumor spreading often worked faster then the best spy master. Once in their room, the sisters softly chuckled as townsfolk seemed to look more interested in the inn. Deciding that the fires of curiosity would need time to spread, they took turns resting, for if their first plan didn't work they would simply have to sneak into the castle and finish the mission the hard way.

By morning the town was abuzz with the news of a strange noble, run away from home, who was staying at the inn and trying to escape from her father's ambition. Their case was helped when a seemingly put upon Despair wandered into town looking for a few goods for their journey. She was stopped many times by townsfolk, curious about the fire haired woman that had swooped into their lives.

It was on her way back to the inn that Despair got the question she was looking for.

A footman from the castle approached her and held out an envelope for her, "His lordship, the Count William Benton, wishes to extend this invitation to your employer."

The white haired maid took the envelope, mindful of the footman's glance along her form and smiled lightly.

"I shall pass this on to my lady," she said, "Please extend my appreciation to his lordship." With a flirting smile, and a graceful bow that allowed the footman to see down the front of her dress, Despair left the now stupefied man behind and returned to the inn where her sister was waiting.

Upon entering their room, she found that Amnara was nude and cross legged in the center of the floor, her eyes closed and a look of concentration on her face.

The older demoness coughed lightly to get her sister's attention, and once she had it asked, "What are you doing?"

The redhead shrugged as she stood, "It was something one of the monks in the East was trying to teach me. He said that a clear mind will allow you to focus on a goal no matter the distraction. And being alone for a long time is very distracting."

"Was this before or after you sucked his life out through his penis?" At Amnara's indignant look Despair chuckled and then turned serious, "We have what we were waiting for. His Lordship has extended an invitation to you to dine at the keep tonight. We need to get you ready if we want to impress Lord Benton enough to let you get close to him."

The redhead sighed, "Yeah, right."

Picking up on the younger demon's mood, Amnara sat on the end of the bed and asked, "What's wrong, little sister?"

For a moment, she looked like she was going to say nothing and let it go, but at the concerned look in Despair's eyes Amnara sighed and stepped up and sat next to her, leaning against her older sister's shoulder.

"I'm tired," she almost whispered, "I feel like we've run around the world three times in the last year alone, and that's without Father needing us to clean up all these little problems that crop up. I know we're not supposed to feel like this, but I'm…I don't know…drained, or like a weight is pressing down on me. I hate it."

The unusually dour mood of her sister set off alarms in the back of Despair's mind, but she ignored them to focus on her favorite family member, "What is this that causes you such sadness, little one?"

Again, Amnara paused. She then collected herself and spoke quietly, "I visited an Oracle a few weeks ago."

"By the pit," Despair moaned, "Those bats are a bunch of loons, what possessed you to go to one in the first place? You should know better."

Suddenly, Amnara shifted position and deeply kissed her sister, opening the link between the two of them with the content and expressing herself in a way only succubi of the same blood could. In a rush, Despair felt fear, longing, pain and desire, all emotions that she knew well. What followed them caught her off guard however as images played across her mind. Flashes of people and places, of warm feelings she had never felt from anyone other then her sister, and a warm sensation that was not desire, but no less powerful.

The last image she saw was of her own father raising a long sword up to strike down a crying redhead as fire raged around them.

Amnara broke the kiss and pulled back, standing and walking to the far side of the room. She wrapped her arms around her torso and stood quietly as Despair composed herself. Once her sister's breathing had returned to normal, the redhead turned back and spoke softly.

"That's what the Oracle showed me. I don't know what half of it means, but that last image is as clear as day. I've tried to ignore it, put my best face forward and all that, but there's a reason why I haven't been home in so long. It grips me like a vice, tearing at my mind."

Despair was silent. On the one hand she was able to easily dismiss the ramblings of a human seer, but the intensity of the vision made her stomach churn. She knew that her sister was the envy of many in the Guild, and her temperament had often been rebellious towards their father, her Eastern teachings being an example. Amnara also tended to ignore tradition in the treatment of slaves and victims, having few of the former and sparing many of the latter.

Her power and popularity in both human and demon circles could put her in contention with the Guildmaster, but she had repeatedly and vocally refused many attempts to entice her into a power struggle in the higher ranks of the Guild. Normally this would have led many of the paranoid to believe she was waiting for an opportune moment, but Despair knew that her dear little sister simply wanted none of the responsibility that went with such a position.

Amnara wanted to do, and to be, not to sit around scheming to make others suffer. She was a free spirit that looked at the world with awe and wonder.

And that was what Despair was truly jealous of.

"Sister," Despair said, standing to join her sister, wrapping her arms around the smaller succubus, "I know two things that will ease your worry." Amnara looked up at her expectantly and she continued, "You are the strongest of us, and never fail once you have begun. And I love you, my dearest sister." With that said the two demons shared a gentle kiss, sharing each other's essence in a symbolic expression of their feelings.

With the tension of the moment passing as a summer cloud, the sisters began the task of preparing Amnara for a dinner in the company of a noble lord that evening. After using the inn's modest bathing room, the girls applied the tools of seduction and charm, transforming a free spirited succubus into a high born lady of the court. After hours of preparation and planning, the two were ready to complete their mission.

Making their way out of the inn and to the castle, Amnara and Despair drew a great deal of attention once more. Despair alone would have turned the heads of every male in the town, dressed as she was in a simple black dress that hugged her considerable figure nicely. A white shawl with the fictional livery of Amnara's fictional household and her submissive position two steps behind Amnara were the only things that showed her to be subservient to anyone.

The redhead walking before her simply drew breath away. Amnara wore a red dress once again, this one was cut low and cinched tight so that her ample cleavage was pushed together and upwards, creating a twin swell of soft breast flesh that almost screamed to be touched. Her hair flowed freely down her back, but had long threads of gold wound through it creating the illusion of shimmering highlights along her back. A belt of gold and silver threads intertwined around her waist, and held one end of a translucent red kerchief that extended out to each of her wrists, giving her an ethereal air as she glided down the street and past the guards at the gate to the castle.

Once inside, Despair presented her charge to the servant standing at the entrance to the main hall and slid back along the outskirts of the room along with the other retainers and watched as Amnara was announced. Her sister walked to the simple dais where the Lord William sat and bowed gracefully.

"I thank his lordship for allowing me a respite here during my travels. The invitation to dine tonight was most welcome and I am in your debt." She looked up and locked her soft blue eyes with the young man sitting uncomfortably in the position of honor. With a glance she took him in, and found him very easy on the eyes indeed.

He was young, true, perhaps early twenties at most. His build was medium and not well muscled, but at the same time he showed no signs of the fattening that accompanied many a noble who preferred to sit for long times as they governed their lands. But what drew her in was not his physique, but his face.

It was oval, and held on to much of what could be called youthfulness, but still held the lines of hard work. His hair was brown and unkempt, and his expression was of extreme discomfort. At first, Amnara thought it was merely physical, but soon realized that the young man was ill at ease in his position, and his darting eyes were looking for any avenue out of the chair and its symbolic power.

She caught his eyes, and smiled at the intelligence, and rebellion, behind them. Then with a simple nod of her head, she conveyed her understanding of his feelings, and with a wink told him she could be his ally.

Sitting straighter, he spoke in a soft but powerful voice, "I thank you for your kind words, but must admit to a small matter of duplicity here." Amnara blinked and took note of a frosty glance the young lord sent towards an older man along the periphery of the room. "I do welcome your presence, but it was requested by my uncle. He feels that a person in my position has certain obligations, and he and I have been at odds over this for some time." He looked back at her and gave a genuine smile and added, "Though this one time I think I am grateful to him for asking you here."

Amnara smiled and politely bowed to him, her eyes remaining on his. As expected she saw them briefly dip down at her exposed cleavage as she bowed, but the young man caught himself and shifted his view back to her eyes, and once more she was taken in by the trapped emotion behind them. With a mental shudder she realized how much they reminded her of her own eyes when she saw them in the mirror.

The dinner was a simple affair, and Amnara found herself slipping easily into her role as the people at the dining table, both the important and the self-important, chatted with her. She was able to easily tell the difference, and used her experience in her father's diplomatic affairs to banter with both as they required. But her intent stayed focused on young Lord William. And he seemed content to return her interest.

"But why travel out here to the ends of the earth," he asked her as the meal wound down, "surely the court provides enough distraction to keep you entertained?"

Amnara bit off a short laugh and sipped her wine lightly, "London may have much going for it, but the largest problem is that my father is there."

"Is he that controlling that his own daughter feels suffocated?"

"It's not only that," she said, her hand resting lightly on his as she answered. "He expects my to fulfill a role fixed by tradition and formality. I want no part of it, but breaking free would make me an outcast. Even running away like this is meaningless. Once he knows how I feel, I'll be locked away to do his direct bidding for a time once again."

She surprised herself by finding that her words held a great deal of her true feelings. She mentally chided herself for this, until she looked up and saw a smile of understanding on his face.

He started softly, "I know how you feel. For years my father groomed me to follow in his footsteps. I learned, and trained, and all of it was never enough for him. I even went to some of the best scholars in the land, and I truly enjoyed learning from them, but all that amounted to nothing in his eyes. Ever since he passed on and I took his place, I feel as though he still disapproves of me."

Amnara asked, "Why is that?"

"Look at the people that I invited here tonight." Amnara did as he asked and saw a noticeable separation between two groups that were talking quietly after the meal. He continued, "One faction is made up of those in search of power, both monetary and political. The other consists of people who actually do work in the community. The chief constable, the local physician, and even that older lady at the end of the table who looks after some of the town's children during the day, teaching them to read. That second group of people are the ones I learned life from, and I would gladly give my power and position to them."

Amnara looked at the human with a little shock, but followed his example when he stood and thanked each of his guests in turn, including her. The redhead lightly took his arm and tilted her head towards the entryway as people dispersed, and he nodded in consent as she led him out into the courtyard.

Slowly they made their way out under the starlight and walked along a small path to the castle's central well. It was when they had reached the well, and Amnara had hopped up to sit on its edge that William spoke again.

"One of the things I learned about when I studied was many old ways. Reading stars, brewing herbs, and feeling the presence of magic."

Amnara's head swiveled rapidly to lock eyes with the young lord at this, "What makes you mention this?"

William smiled, "Most people don't believe in such things anymore, but you and I know differently, don't we?" He held up a hand to keep her from answering and continued, "You're very life force is saturated with magic. It's wound in such a way around you that you are ether using a high power illusion, or you are a creature of magic to begin with. Am I wrong?"

Amnara cursed herself for underestimating the human and allowed her vision to shift over to see his aura, and found that he was indeed able to use magic. At the moment the lines that normally channeled power were inactive, and that meant he had no spell ready to cast at her, so she relaxed herself slightly, but remained alert for action on the young lord's part.

Out loud she said, "And this is the result of my people's arrogance. For ages humans have been underestimated, and it had led to them slowly taking over the world." She sighed and gave him a small smirk, "So now that I'm caught, what will you do with me?"

"Nothing," he said with a grin as she blinked in surprise. "Were I to guess, I'd say you were an emissary, or an assassin, of the so called Guild. If you are an envoy, I'd like to hear what you have to say. If you've come to kill me, there is little I could do to stop you. I may be knowledgeable, but sadly I am not proficient."

There it was. It would be so easy to do it now, use a fraction of her power to silence him and drop him into the well behind her. All it would take is a kiss to silence him and draw away his strength, and a spike of power straight to his heart to kill him quietly. All too easy.

"So are you going to tell me which you are?"

Amnara blinked and realized that she had been silent for some time. Minuets had passed and she hadn't noticed. She looked up at William again and saw him waiting expectantly.

He spoke softly, "When you spoke at dinner, you told some of the truth, didn't you?"

Amnara looked away, "How did you know?"

"Part instinct, part training. As someone in a position of responsibility, I have to be able to tell when people are lying. If someone is very good at lying, then look for the truth. Sometimes it's more revealing then catching a lie."

Sighing deeply, Amnara struggled to look the young man in the eye again, and saw the depth of his honesty there.

She managed to get out, "Why?"

Knowing what she meant, William turned away for a moment and said, "It's the way I am. I hate people who put on false smiles to achieve their ends, so I'm always honest. Some call me an idealist for my stance, and for my beliefs. That's why your Guild seeks to quiet me. I learned of their shadow maneuvers to take power, and acted on them. The mysterious Guildmaster was going to make a bid for the throne, and if that were to happen than chaos would swallow the land. My sense of honor would not allow me to stand by and let that happen."

"Your ideals are worth your life?"

"Yes," he answered simply.

She looked down at the ground, a storm in her mind. She cleared it all away and looked at it from the two aspects of her life. Her duty was clear, and she should waste no time dispatching this mortal who believed that his will alone was enough to challenge the Guild. Her desire called for her to walk away, from her mission, from her father, and from the madness that seemed to be the end result of the Guild's plans.

Slipping off the well and standing straight, she stepped up to William. Reaching up, she took his face in her hand and tilted his head down, kissing him deeply.

She made her decision.

Releasing the kiss, she looked him in the eye and spoke the truth, "I was sent to kill you, to prove to the other clans that my father is in full control of the Guild. I won't do that now, because I don't want to be a part of it anymore. I've grown sick of the infighting, the plotting, and the assasinations. I want to be free."

Despair watched from the shadows, a frown crossing her face. It could be a clever plot by her dear sister to circumvent her mark's caution. It could be that Amnara was working the young noble, making him feel as if he now had an ally against the coming darkness.

It could be, but she knew it wasn't.

For years Amnara had been bristling under the rule of their father. The revelation of her sister's visit to an oracle had only been the most recent example of the redhead's search to be free of the burden that was placed on her by both her birth and her station.

And now she had just taken the final step, defying her father's orders on a mission and sparing the life of a human target. She saw the two of them part ways, and Amnara strode directly towards her, sensing her through their sisterly bond.

"You heard," the redhead stated rather then asked.

Despair nodded and sighed deeply, "This is a mistake, Sister. What happens when Father is informed that you defied him?"

"Then my vision will come to pass, and he will strike me down," Anmnara said bluntly. "Ether that or he will do nothing. This is my one chance to be free, and I will not pass it up."

Despair looked her in the eye and asked, "And the human?"

Amnara looked down, "I see his dream, and I want to be a part of it. If you ask me to choose between Father's yoke and William's heart, you already know which one I'll choose."

"Do you love this mortal?"

It was a long silence that met Despair's question, but finally her sister answered, "Yes."

Despair nodded and turned away. She was about to depart, but stopped and turned to face Amnara once more, and the two sisters rushed forward and embraced in a hug that conveyed their feelings for each other. It lasted a long time, but by the setting of the moon Despair had disappeared and Amnara had settled back at the inn.

Over the next few days she visited Lord William many times. She offered him her contacts inside the court and advice on how to circumvent Guild influence in the noble families.

She also finally offered him her heart, and he accepted.

It was weeks later that she was awoken in the middle of the night to the smell of smoke. She threw on her dressing gown and crossed her new room in the castle to look out into the corridor and find out what was wrong.

Opening the door, she came face to face with Despair once more, but her sister was not in disguise this time, and her white leather already had blood on it.

"Father is here to see you," Despair stated, forcing all emotion from her voice. Two soldiers bearing the Guild's crest on their armor grabbed the redhead and pulled her outside the castle and past the smoking bodies of guards, servants and townsfolk.

"This is what your betrayal has earned you," said an ominous voice.

Amnara shook her head, unable to believe the carnage that surrounded her. Looking up she saw a dark form, tall and imposing that was leaning over her and reaching out to pull her head up to face him. It radiated menace, and she could feel fire flickering along its fingers where it roughly held her hair.

Blinking her eyes clear of tears caused by the smoke and death, she looked past the form at the burning ruins of a castle in the near distance. She let out a painful scream as she realized that her important people were still in there, and now there was nothing she could do to save them.

"You never should have abandoned me," the voice spoke again, and Amnara was yanked upright to look into a pair of burning red eyes that pulsed with hate. "It will be a long road of pain before you can redeem yourself."

Amnara wept, but managed to croak out, "Yes, Father…"

The form dropped her then, and soon Despair was at her side, helping her up.

"You never should have fallen in love with that human, Sister."

"I had no choice, Dizzy," Amnara said, emotion causing her to choke on the words as they came out. "It struck like thunder, and I couldn't turn away from it. Please forgive me."

The taller demon leaned forward and lightly kissed her on the forehead, "I do…but Father never will." Both of them turned to look once more on the burning castle, and Amnara's eyes were drawn to the tallest tower.

Hung from the ramparts was the body of Lord William Benton, cut open and dead.

Amnara could only cry out, "NO!!!"

Ranma jerked back away from Nabiki's hands as his voice echoed that of his long dead predecessor. His head swam and he fell back, but before he hit the floor, soft and strong hands caught him, easing him into a warm and comforting lap. After a moment he found the strength to open his eyes and saw Shampoo and Nabiki looking down at him, worry written on their faces.

Nabiki had tears in her eyes and answered a silent question, "I saw everything, but didn't feel it like you did. Are you going to be ok?"

Ranma shook his head slowly, and as he did he saw that the rest of the household was at the door to the dojo, being held back by Soun of all people. Kasumi and Kodachi, and even Akane had looks of worry on their faces, while Happosai had a neutral expression.

"Girls," Soun said, "go back into the house. Ranma will be all right now." Reluctantly Kasumi, Kodachi and Akane withdrew, and the older men walked into the dojo, Soun kneeling by the young man that had caused so many changes in his life.

Softly he spoke, "I've only heard a scream like that once before. And it came from my own mouth on a day ten years ago.

Nabiki instantly stiffened, remembering that day, and the cry of anguish that came from her father when a doctor had passed on the news of the death of his wife. She placed her hand on her father's arm, and was surprised to find Ranma's hand already there.

Soun collected himself and spoke again, "Take all the time you need, but if you need to talk…" He left the offer in mid air, and Ranma silently acknowledged it. The Tendo patriarch stood again and left the dojo.

Ranma then looked at Happosai and started to speak, but was cut off.

"No answers for you right now, my boy. Rest up and we'll speak later."

"You've put this off for a while now," the young man managed, "I need to know what's going on."

Happosai chuckled, "Yes you do, but right now you need rest. Trust me, sonny boy; you'll need all your strength for what's coming." With that, the diminutive master turned and left the three teens alone.

Shampoo and Nabiki pulled Ranma into a close cuddle, and helped comfort the troubled boy as he recovered from the dreams of another life. Darkness fell outside, and the two girls drifted off to sleep as Ranma stared out into the night.

"That big, red, evil motherfucker is gonna pay," he swore silently into the night.

To be continued.


	30. History and Her Story

Author's Note: Ranma and company were created by Rumiko Takahashi and were distributed by Kitty and Viz. I use them with reverence, but not permission. I don't get any money from this, and it hurts me, right here, ya know. This little story is to be considered adult reading due to sex, violence and cussing. You know; all that fun stuff.

P.S.: for Jan-chan.

To say that Shampoo was agitated on her first day of classes would be an understatement.

Take your typical Chinese Amazon, who is pretty high strung to begin with due to their warrior culture and strict laws and traditions. Add in a helping of perverted midget who had stolen her first real bra before the day's gym class. Mix with the daily required dose of volleyball and toss in a dash of catcalls and whistles from the boy's gym class across the field. Stir well.

Add a pink haired demon girl sitting on her husband's lap at lunch.

Serve slightly above room temp.

Then run like hell before she bashes your skull in.

Nabiki had a slightly different perspective on Alexis' arrival at the school that day as she had seen the oddly dressed girl wander in a few minutes earlier asking around for Ranma. She knew that the girl was Ranma's 'sister', and therefore had approached the situation diplomatically.

"I hope you aren't here to start a fight, little demon."

Alexis had stopped short at that. She was asking one of the boys if they had heard of Ranma, and enjoyed his obvious distraction due to her red leather bra that showed under her open jacket. Turning she saw a schoolgirl with brown, pageboy cut hair and a half smile on her face. Her relaxed stance and sharp eyes screamed 'dangerous' to the succubus, even though it was only a human.

She asked calmly, "How do you know who I am?"

"Nabiki Tendo," the girl answered and offered a hand to shake, "I believe we've both kissed the same redhead."

Alexis blinked, and then the reference clicked, "You must be the one Ranma said got her that job. No, I'm not here for a fight. Nice to meet you." The pink haired girl took Nabiki's hand and gave it a quick shake, but not before Nabiki did a quick scan of her surface thoughts.

Alexis blinked again as she felt her mind being probed, and her eyes widened in amazement as the smirk on the other girl's face grew.

_To be that strong when she's so young,_ she thought, _Ranma has a strong lover here._

"_Thank you,"_ echoed in her mind. Nabiki let go of her hand and continued normally, "I was just about to join Ranma for lunch." She waved at the leather wearing girl to follow her while mentally signaling ahead to let Ranma know she was coming with company.

A mental debate took place between the two of them as Nabiki led the way around the school. Ranma was in his male form, and had become rather annoyed at the attention his other half was getting around the school. He also wanted to avoid Kuno's attention today as the delusional upperclassman was still wandering around seeking his pig-tailed nymph.

"_Besides," _he reasoned with Nabiki, _"if Alexis hangs around long enough she's going to figure it out eventually. Even Kodachi put it together after we came back from China."_ Nabiki had to grudgingly admit his point at that, and led Alexis to the tree where Ranma was sitting.

"Here's Ranma," she said simply and sat down next to the boy who handed her a lunch.

Alexis blinked at the attractive young man how almost oozed energy, then looked back at the other girl, "Um…Ranma's a redheaded girl. Big bust, big smile, about my height. Couldn't miss her."

"Sounds about right," Ranma said with a small smile. "What do you want, Alexis?"

The succubus blinked again, especially when they young man lifted a hand up, inviting her to touch him. She slowly reached out and took his hand, wondering what was going on, but as soon as she made contact the unmistakable rush of family contact washed over her and she stared in amazement down at the boy who she now knew was her elder sister.

"How," she started to ask, but was cut off by Ranma who simply sighed in agitation.

"Your Guild has Enema, right? She didn't tell you about Jusenkyo? Must have slipped her mind."

Nabiki smirked, "Pretty easy for someone that slimy."

The young man grunted an affirmative and continued, "Long story short, I was born a boy, got dunked in a cursed spring and timeshare with the body of your dead sister. It was going great until I picked up some of the mental baggage that went with it."

Alexis stood dumbfounded at this, but could not sense any lie coming from the boy. The improbable nature of her lost sister almost overloaded her, but she remembered the contact she had made with him only seconds ago, and knew it was true. A smile crept on to her face and a giggle escaped her lips as she jumped into the startled boy's lap.

"My sister turns into my brother? That's so cool!"

Ranma began to turn a few shades of red as he felt the succubus' leather covered assets press into his suddenly very thin seeming silk shirt. It didn't help that he also remembered that he had picked out that bra for her only a couple of days ago.

"Erk…"

"What bubblegum hair girl doing to husband!"

Ranma looked around his uncomfortably close 'sister' and saw his Amazon wife approach with lethal intent in her eyes, "No, wait Shampoo! This isn't what t looks like!"

All Nabiki could say, with a smile of her own, was, "Run lover boy. Run like hell."

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 30

History and Her Story

After Shampoo had calmed somewhat, and Alexis had removed herself from Ranma's lap, the introductions were made. Alexis was surprised by the Amazon's mercurial mood as the blue haired girl glomped her and welcomed her as 'sister to husband'. Nabiki also seemed to accept her presence and treated her as a friend, even if the Tendo girl was still giving her a cautious glance every now and then.

After an explanation of the Jusenkyo curse and a quick demonstration with a few splashes from the schoolyard sink, Alexis sat in a small circle with the three lovers and got right to the point.

"Father wants you dealt with," she said solemnly. "You have to come back now, or people are going to start coming after you."

Ranma snorted, and Shampoo and Nabiki fought to hold down a burst of giggles. At Alexis' incredulous look they lost the fight and let a little laughter out. She was about to chastise them, but Ranma waved her off.

"I've had people trying to kill me for a while now," he said calmly, "and a lot of the time it was for a lot less then backstabbing them after they screwed up my life. I've been in a pissing match with Enema since day one, kept another guy from killing me for stealing his bread in junior high, and ironically enough I fought my own father to get a measure of freedom."

Out of nowhere a young man garbed in kendo robes leapt towards Ranma screaming, "Die, defiler of the pure! Today I free Akane Tendo and the pig tailed nymph!" Ranma rolled from a sitting position into a hand stand and planted both feet under the attacker's jaw, sending him flying across the schoolyard.

After rolling back to his seat Ranma continued, "And then there's that nut and his wannabe sorcerer sidekick. Having one more person try and kill me is what we call Thursday. I never can get the hang of Thursdays."

"O…kay," Alexis slowly let out. She took a moment to consider the nonchalant way Ranma and his two lovers were handling the interruption, and remembered the raw power she had felt on her first encounter with his redheaded alter ego. She had it drilled into her by everyone that she had known that humans were weak and no match for a full demon. The only one to come close was Master Happosai, but even he could not stand against the Guildmaster.

Now here was Ranma, and in her demon form she combined power and grace and a level of skill that was truly unbelievable, and she saw that Nabiki and Shampoo moved with the same air of confidence that he did.

Finally she spoke, "You're good, but how long do you think you can keep it up? Guild assassins aren't someone you can just dismiss. They never fail, not in the history of the Guild."

"And that's not a lie," another voice said as a small form dropped from the tree they sat under. The teens looked and saw that Happosai was in their midst, and Nabiki and Shampoo quickly shifted their legs to guard against an attack against their underpants. Shampoo's hand flexed and suddenly one of her maces was imbedded in the old master's head.

"You give back Shampoo's bra, little pervert. You no want to be bashed more, do you?"

"Gnirf," was the old man's replay as he rested his further compacted form under the hard steel of the mace head. Alexis blinked again at the savage strength displayed by the Amazon girl.

After a moment Happosai managed to pull himself back upright, a sizable lump forming on his head and tears in his eyes, "Oh Ranma, it's terrible! Here I am, an old man, and you let these girls abuse me like this?"

The young man chuckled, "Like I'd want to stop them? And even if I did, you had it coming, ol' fart."

Happosai took a pensive pose for a moment and finally nodded, "Ok, you have a point. Anyway, that's not why I'm here. It's time you knew a few things, and with little Alexis here I can answer some of her questions as well."

Nabiki looked at the pink haired girl and saw her nod, then asked, "You know the little troll?"

"Sure," the demon girl answered, "he took care of me when I was little. Master Happosai was the one to get me interested in the outside world, like Amnara was."

The old master nodded and took out his pipe, "True, true. I remember two hundred years ago I was carrying you around on my shoulders and you were always trying to get into things. Ah, good times."

Nabiki looked sideways at the pink haired girl, "Two hundred? I guess you age differently then humans too."

Alexis shrugged and turned back to Happosai to ask, "So is he really her, or…well you know?"

Happosai lit his pipe and puffed on it for a few minutes as the group surrounding him looked on with interest. Ranma wanted desperately to know the answer; it was something that had plagued him for a long time now. Was he his own person or just the continuation of someone long dead. He felt a sudden pulse of warmth within and looked up to see Nabiki and Shampoo's eyes.

"_You are Ranma,"_ Nabiki's voice echoed in his mind, _"the person Shampoo and I fell in love with. The both of us will stand by you no matter what."_ He nodded his thanks and turned his attention back to the diminutive master of his Art.

Happosai closed his eyes and held his pipe out, stem pointing at Ranma, "The answer is simple. Amnara Nightbane died long ago, but before she passed on she gained what few of her kind ever do, a noble soul. She was more then willing to sacrifice herself for the benefit of others, and whatever powers there are in the universe allowed her to move on in peace. The magic of the cursed Pools of Sorrow could only capture her physical self. Ranma is his own person."

Ranma asked softly, "Then how come I remember all this stuff from her life?"

Taking another pull on his pipe, Happosai answered out of one corner of his mouth, "A link was formed, between you and Amnara. When she died and placed her curse on the Amazons a new magic was placed into the pool that she drowned in. Jusenkyo would wait to impart the succubus' form until someone deserving could be found."

Nabiki blinked, "Deserving?"

"Yes. It had to be someone who was a warrior, who had a strong will and a pure heart despite adversity. Only then could the pool release the power that it had held for five hundred years. That valley is a living thing, and its magic is meant to balance the world with both blessings and punishments."

"How you know so much about springs and Amazon history," Shampoo asked.

"I dated your great grandmother when we were young," Happosai said simply, a small smile on his face.

"Shampoo think she be sick now," the Amazon managed in a weak voice.

"Me too," Ranma stated blandly, "but putting that aside for now. So I'm really just me, but I'm stuck with Amnara's body to undo an Amazon curse. Peachy. What next, and what is this Guild you both keep talking about?"

Happosai nodded to Alexis who answered, "A long time ago the world was controlled by demons. We didn't originally come from earth, but from a dying world in another realm. You're kind would see it as hell, what with all the lava and stuff. When we came here humanity was weak and didn't amount to much, so we just moved in and set up shop. Over the centuries humanity evolved and started learning, and eventually became strong enough to be a serious threat to us in numbers. Because there were so few of us, and millions of humans we formed a kind of support group."

"Thus the Guild came into being," Happosai continued. "Over time it splintered, reformed, evolved and changed, but the foundation is still true. The Guild is a way for demon kind to stay safe from an all out war with humanity. The currant Guildmaster, who has held his position for close to a thousand years, holds the belief that humanity needs to be wiped out so demon kind can live freely again. Only the conservative elements within the community hold him back."

"Daddy is a bit of a traditionalist," Alexis added. "You know; the whole defiler of the innocent, blood drinking, fire spitting image. That was what demonic life was like in the home realm, or so he keeps ranting."

"The life of a demon is fraught with peril," Nabiki paraphrased her own father.

Happosai chuckled, "True words, those. As for what is next, that's up to all of you. I take it that you really don't want to fight Ranma all out to try and kill him?"

The pink haired demoness sighed, "She…he…whatever walked all over me the last time we fought. And I grew up hearing about how great Amnara was from my sister. Dizzy was flipping out on the phone when I told her what happened. She's curious to meet you, and I don't know if that's good or bad or what."

"From what we dredged up in Ranma's mind Dizzy loved her sister very much, but was still loyal to the Guild," Nabiki said while putting a comforting hand on Ranma's shoulder. "Any chance Amnara's death and rebirth have had an impact on her?"

Alexis shrugged, "No idea. Sometimes she's a cold bitch, sometimes she's the best friend I've had. I do know that if she comes after you seriously, you won't have as easy a time with it as you did with me."

"That good point," Shampoo added. "Why pink demon be all nice nice now? You think maybe backstab Airen when guard down?"

Waving her hands defensively, Alexis quickly countered, "No, no! I'm not all into the Guild stuff. I'm just looking for a good time and keeping my head low. Daddy wants the whole demon empire thing. I like humans, after all, who else could come up with internet porn?"

"That's not all, is it," Happosai said knowingly.

Alexis looked down at the old man for a long time. The others could almost see the young looking girl's thoughts running wild behind her eyes. Finally she looked up again, and the teens were surprised to see a look of longing of her face.

"All my life I heard stories about my big sister, Amnara. How she rebelled against Daddy. How she stood up and made a bid to be free. How she wanted to live by her own rules. I grew up hearing that, and wound up wanting it too. Dizzy told my about Amnara to caution me against her wild behavior, but Master Happosai taught me that chaos like that is what makes humans stronger than us in the long run. You can adapt and evolve and grow to overcome chaos. We forgot how to do that a long time ago. I want to be free, and I thought Amnara…Ranma…could show me how."

Silence descended on the small group after that. Even the ringing of the bell to signal the end of lunch only managed to stir them slightly as each of the teens soaked in the emotion filled declaration of the pink haired punk demon girl.

At last Ranma stood and took her hand, pulling her up, "I may not know much about demons, or all that supernatural crap, but I do know a few things. Amnara and I are two different people, but we share a lot. We both had crappy fathers who controlled our lives and forced us along their paths. We both wanted our freedom. And most importantly, we both fought and got ourselves free. Now you're in the same boat. But you're different."

Alexis looked down; anticipating rejection, but Ranma grabbed her chin and gently pulled her head back up.

"Amnara didn't have help getting free. I had the love of my wife and fiancée." Ranma looked back and saw the support of the girls and Nabiki's small smile.

"_You just have to go play the hero, don't you lover boy,"_ her voice echoed in his mind.

Ranma gave a small nod and turned back to Alexis, "The difference with you is you get the backup I had, and your big brother will look out for you too."

Alexis saw the smile on Ranma's face, but still felt a knot of doubt in the pit of her stomach.

"How do I know I can trust you? It's not like we're really related, after all."

"Then find out," Nabiki said calmly. "We know succubi are empathic. Give the big lug a kiss and you'll find out." Her smile grew sneaky and she added, "Unless you're scared of a little human?"

Alexis bristled at that, but Ranma was the one to hesitate this time, _"Are you sure about this? The last thing I need is another girl chasing me around."_

"_High opinion of yourself there lover boy,"_ Nabiki's laughter echoed in his head. _"Besides, the two of us figured out a while ago that you were a whole lot of man for one woman."_

He was about to protest further, but Alexis had solidified her resolve and grabbed Ranma's face, pulling him down and initiating a hard and wet lip lock with him. She felt him go limp in her hands as his own doubts dissolved, and with a touch of power she reached into him, tugging at his energy and seeing the truth.

The first thing she found was that the pig tailed martial artist tasted great. His life-force was drenched with power, physical, magical and spiritual. Like when she had kissed his female half, she found herself almost instantly addicted to the taste. The second was his almost naive honesty. He meant what he had said, and was willing to welcome her into his, albeit very dysfunctional, family unit.

Ranma was also stunned by the euphoric experience, and now truly understood why Shampoo and Nabiki seemed to never be able to get enough of his own demonic form. It took a supreme effort not to start groping the younger looking girl right there in public. Thankfully, Alexis seemed to be quickly satisfied to his intent and pulled away.

"Wow," he said quietly as the taste of cherries left his lips. He was about to comment further, but Alexis excitedly glomped onto him in an almost Amazon style.

"Thank you," she said simply in his ear.

Suddenly a voice shouted from above, "If you're done flirting with MORE girls, shouldn't you be up here?!"

Shampoo, Nabiki, Ranma and Alexis looked up to see a frowning Akane leaning out a window in Ranma's class room. Nabiki looked at the clock tower and hissed sharply at the time.

"We are so boned," she declared to the other students, but was reluctant to run off in the middle of the conversation. "I could always call in a marker to get us excused again, but I'm running low on favors with the office staff."

"I guess you youngsters should run along then," Happosai said, "you don't want to miss out on your education now, do you?"

Ranma smirked, "Shows what you know. Besides, I still have more questions for you old man."

Happosai chuckled and patted out his pipe, "Now, now, Ranma my boy. Your mind is a muscle too, don't forget. Off you go."

"But…" Before he could protest further, Happosai bounded off over the wall of the school and towards the commercial district of town. "Ever get the feeling that he's dodging more then just Shampoo's mace?"

"That's the old man for you," Alexis chuckled. "He probably wants to keep you guessing about him for a while longer. He usually gives you enough to go on, but leaves it up to you to figure out what to do next. It's just like how he taught me to fight, but I'm not very good, even with his teaching me."

Nabiki shrugged and started towards the school, "You jocks can go around comparing your styles later. I think we need to get to class now."

Shampoo reluctantly followed her back towards the school building, but noticed that Ranma lagged behind to speak with Alexis a moment longer.

"Seriously," Ranma told her, "I'm not going to run away just because some old demon club is out to get me."

Alexis frowned at the young martial artist, "Brave, but not bright. This is life and death here, and you may not be immortal like I am."

Ranma gave her his characteristic smirk, "The little freak doesn't seem too worried, and you haven't seen me go all out yet. When it gets down to crunch time, I'll be more than ready. And you don't know what Shampoo and Nabiki are capable of. The three of us are unstoppable when we need to be." His face widened further into a full smile, "Trust me, I know what I'm doing. See you later, little sis."

Ranma sprang into motion, leaping to the covering over the school entrance and jumping up to the open third floor window, ducking into class. Alexis sighed at his disappearing form and spun on one high heel and started out of the school grounds. She lightly hopped over the wall, landed outside and pulled her cell phone from her jacket pocket.

Dialing quickly, she raised it to her ear and waited for the connection to be made.

"Hello," a silky voice on the other end of the call answered.

Alexis took a deep breath and spoke, "I can't do this, Dizzy. Amnara…well, she isn't what we think. I talked to…her…again, and I think it's a bad idea to try and force her back."

There was a long pause, and Despair's voice came back over the line, "What happened, Sister?" She decided not to include her usual chide about her name when she heard the pain in Alexis' voice and waited for a reply.

Alexis did respond soon enough, "Ranma doesn't want anything to do with the Guild, and it sounds like she's had to put up with her own family problems, which didn't help my case any. Throw in the fact that Master Happosai is here, and I'm really losing my footing here."

"Happosai is there?" Despair took a moment to take this in and then continued, "I take it you didn't try and kill him as well."

Alexis grunted, "Daddy is crazy if he thinks a 'kill on sight' order is going to make me attack him. Happosai almost raised me, Dizzy. And now he's taken Ranma as an apprentice. Ranma has the powers of a demon and all that stuff that Master Happosai showed us when he was with the Guild, and she's only going to get stronger."

"So you can't fight her?"

Alexis paused. She knew that Despair could tell she was holding something back, and she decided to let a little of it out. "Ranma doesn't want anything to do with Daddy, but she called me sister. I…I feel so…confused. It's like when you call me that. I can feel it between us, and there's more. It's like a warm blanket around…around my heart…"

There was an even longer pause, and Despair's voice came back on the line with a hard edge to it, "I'll be in Tokyo tomorrow. This needs to be dealt with quickly, before it gets out of control. If she manages to defeat the scouts I've sent, then I'll deal with her myself."

"I really think that's a bad idea, sis." But Alexis' warning was wasted due to the line already being dead.

The pink haired girl looked down at her cell phone and frowned deeply, "By the pit. I hope Ranma can survive this."

It was much later that night when Alexis looked over the Tendo compound from a few roofs away. She stood next to the leader of the scout team, an assassin who was barely able to hide his contempt for the demon girl.

"So the mighty sex witch can't kill one half breed," he sneered. "It's about time you arrogant bitches let the real warriors do their work."

Alexis held her tongue, knowing that the four to one odds were not in her favor if she took exception to his comment. The assassins may have been lesser in power to her, but they more then made up for it in their training and raw brutality. She looked down at the lean demon leading the group and frowned.

"If you take this prey lightly, you'll be sorry," she told him tersely.

He sneered back, "And will you be joining the slaughter?"

"No," she said, her eyes returning to the compound, "I prefer to survive the night."

The killers laughed at her words, then at the signal of their commander glided off the roof and silently crept onto the Tendo property. As they vanished from sight, Alexis turned to look behind her as a small form dropped down on the roof with her.

She asked the figure, "Are they ready?"

Happosai came out of the shadows and smiled darkly at the red leather clad succubus, "Oh, the Tendos are going to be quite the handful for those four. But I must ask, my dear Alexis, why are you doing this?"

"Don't you already know?"

"Maybe," the old master chuckled, "but I think you need to say it."

Alexis sighed, then grew a dark smile of her own, "I'm picking a side."

Inside the house, the team split up, each member taking a bedroom, ready to strike simultaneously, ending the lives of everyone in the house. Their demon senses alerted them to two presences in three of the rooms, and the last holding a single presence. Of the signatures, the strongest was the single, and the leader took that for himself.

The doors were opened and closed silently, and simultaneously. And as they closed, all hell broke lose.

In Kasumi's room, when the door closed the sheets were thrown off the bed and two lithe, shapely forms bolted forward. One rolled off the bed and tumbled to the assassin's legs, kicking hard at the kneecaps as she also struck at his neck with a whip like ribbon. The other, slightly taller form bounded off the ceiling of the room and delivered a spinning backhand, enhanced with a gymnastics club that almost caved in the head of the unsuspecting demon.

The impact buckled his weakened knees and he spun around while falling, the ribbon around his neck cutting off his air supply. He was out cold before he hit the floor, but two shapely legs, one from each girl, slammed across his stomach for good measure.

Kasumi helped her apprentice up and joined Kodachi in a grin as they looked down at their handiwork. They tried, but Kodachi failed to hold her mirth in as she relished in the trap being sprung. Kasumi could only look on with a masters pride as Kodachi's head rolled back and a long, evil laugh escaped the busty gymnast.

In Nabiki's bedroom, the attacker managed two steps into the room before he felt ten sharp pricks along his neck and heard a loud animalistic sound behind him. He turned slightly to see animalistic eyes glowing yellow with reflected moonlight before the large, clawed hands took a firmer grip on his head and forced him took look directly ahead. He was about to call out to his comrades, regardless of the consequences, when a warm blanket wrapped around his mind.

"_You really don't want to do that, do you?"_

The voice echoed in his mind, and was silky, warm and inviting.

"_This job is so easy you could sleep through it, couldn't you?"_ The voice continued, _"The others have this all but finished. May as well go ahead and take a nap now…just for a moment…just sleep…"_

The assassin fell to the ground, sleeping soundly as Shampoo glided from behind him with cat like grace and moved to stand with Nabiki, whose eyes still glowed faintly with power as she reinforced her psychic command.

"Weak humans, Shampoo's fuzzy butt," the Amazon cat girl snorted as her lover and co-wife gave a derisive laugh of her own.

In the master bedroom, the demon found his targets simply looking at him. The girl had a large wooden mallet in her hands, and the older man only had open hands and a frown on his mustachioed face.

"I give you this opportunity to leave my house in peace," Soun Tendo said calmly as the demon brandished a long, curved knife. "I doubt your fellows are getting the same consideration."

The demon hesitated a moment, unused to such a calm reception from his targets. The moment passed, however, and he lunged gracefully at the armed girl, the bigger threat in his mind.

Instantly, Soun was in front of him, using one wrist to turn the attack while a lightning fast strike pushed two fingers into the soft tendon on the inside of the elbow. This attack was followed by a hard knee to the solar plexus and a double punch to the shoulders. The attacker was slammed hard into the wall, and once he shook his head clear he saw an imposing image. Soun seemed to loom over the demon, his hair floating around a grotesquely enlarged and deformed visage.

The Tendo patriarch's voice chilled the assassin and caused further discomfort in his stomach, "DID YOU JUST TRY AND ATTACK MY LITTLE GIRL?!"

To be sure, the demon had seen far more powerful, and frightening things in his life, but the looming menace and righteous parental anger that washed over him almost made him wet his pants.

"Daddy," came an exasperated groan from behind the apocalyptic face of Soun Tendo. Instantly the enlarged head popped out of existence, leaving an embarrassed looking human in its wake, lightly rubbing the back of his head.

"Sorry about that, Akane," Tendo chuckled. "You can't blame your father for being a little protective of his baby girl.

Akane took a claming breath and answered, "I'm sixteen, and not a baby any more. I was ready for his attack you know, one good whack on the head and he wouldn't be a problem anymore."

The demon continued to slump against the wall, confused. Normally mortals would be screaming, or trying to run away. These two threw him by having a family argument and ignoring him.

He decided to regain their attention, and hopefully their fear, "I'm going to peel your skin off!"

"Oh, shut up!" The snap kick he received to his already abused stomach was complemented nicely by the mallet to the face as the twin shouts from father and daughter echoed in his ears.

The last thing he heard before he passed out was the girl sighing, "What a moron."

Finally, in the guest room, the leader of the raid stalked silently into the center of the large, empty room and looked for his target. The sudden click that signaled the light being turned on behind him caused him to spin quickly around to see a slightly unnerving sight.

The redheaded demoness he had been sent to kill was leaning up against the wall, seemingly without a care in the world and with a small smile on her face. One black gloved hand still held the light switch, and one high heel was tapping lightly, almost impatiently.

He wasn't ready for the quip that came from her either, "Where the hell have you been? We've been waiting for like, two hours now."

The assassin drew his knife and was about to attack the cocky girl when she held up a hand.

Cocking her head to one side, she told him, "Wait for it…"

"OHHOHOHOHOHOHO!"

"YOWL!"

"DID YOU JUST TRY AND ATTACK MY LITTLE GIRL?!"

Sighing in satisfaction, Ranma pushed off the wall and gave a wide smile to the remaining demon assassin. A whip uncoiled from one hand while a small ball of white energy slowly formed in the other.

"I love it when a plan comes together."

The next morning Despair arrived at the Guild safe house that Alexis was supposed to be staying at, but all she found was the remains of one of her best scouting and assassin teams. None of them had been killed, but the message was clear.

The team leader was burned across his chest, and it wasn't healing like it normally would. And his arms and back showed evidence of a long session with a razor sharp whip.

His second had an icepack on his jaw, nose, and stomach and was holding a half empty bottle of pain killers.

The third member of the team was still asleep and nothing Despair could do would rouse him.

The fourth member of the team was huddled in the corner of the room, slowly rocking back and fourth muttering, "make the laughter stop, make the laughter stoop…"

She shook her head in disbelief, and then looked up at the final touch. Scrawled across the wall of the main room in bad English characters was a warning for her, the whimsical smiley face at the end notwithstanding.

"Da Wrecking Crew Was Here!"

Below it in smaller, neater letters was an addendum, "Have a nice day."

To be continued.


	31. Falling into Place

Author's Note: The cast of Ranma ½ are the work of Rumiko Takahashi, and were distributed by Kitty and Viz. I am not Takahashi sensei and claim no IP rights. Personally I'm glad because the crew of OHWP thinks she's twisted. As always, a warning for naughty bits ahead, sex, violence and the like. No minors or easily offended people allowed.

P.S.: Janice is still the driving force behind this, but now I write for the fans of the story as well.

Shampoo considered her move carefully.

She had already established a perimeter, and even though her opponent held a confident smile, she knew that Kodachi Kuno was not the tactical warrior that she was. Granted, her idea of tactics was frontal assault all the way, but Nabiki was slowly showing her that subtlety was just as devastating.

Confidently, she made her next move.

"E-7."

Scowling, Kodachi picked up a red peg, "You sank my carrier! Is Nabiki helping you?"

"Don't drag me into this," Nabiki said from across the room. "You're the one who said playing Monopoly against me was a waste of time."

Ranma also looked up from his hand, grimacing at the fact that Akane and Nabiki were still walking all over him at UNO, "Look, I know it's a little dull, but Alexis said that she'd be right back after she met with Dizzy. We just need to kill another hour or so." He winced again as Akane tossed down a wild draw four and sighed aloud, "At least it isn't Old Maid."

Akane growled lightly, "You trying to say something?"

"No, no," Ranma answered, waving his hands defensively, and allowing Nabiki a good look at his cards, "I just have bad memories of that game."

Nabiki smiled, "We could always get Twister out. That could be…entertaining."

"Not with two gymnasts, a cat girl, and a pack of perverts it won't," snapped Akane as Nabiki skipped her.

Kasumi smiled as she set a tray of drinks down in the middle of the table, "At least none of you challenged Father again."

"Your old man spent way too much time around mine," grumbled Ranma as he surveyed his hand, "He is way too good at cheating for any of us to beat."

"B-4," Kodachi said, getting back to her own game.

"Miss."

"Damn!"

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 31

Falling into Place

Despair sat in her neatly tailored business suit sipping from the tea provided by the helpful attendant at the open air café that her sister had told her to meet at. She understood Alexis' need to meet in a public place, especially after the fiasco the other night.

The interrogation of her team had been a slow, annoying process as none of the assassins were quite sure how it had all happened, and at least one of them would be unfit for duty for quite some time. He also seemed to be unfit for normal communication and was continuously babbling about laughter, clutching his ears.

She sighed aloud, "How the hell did all this happen?"

"Rough morning, Sis?"

Despair looked up to see Alexis, in new attire, slide into the seat across from her. She had traded cutoffs and a t-shirt for a new outfit of tight leather hot pants and a red leather bra.

"Nice look," Despair commented, "and rougher then I'd like, yes. Do you know what happened?"

Alexis leaned back grinning and chirped, "Of course. I sent those punks of yours in to get slaughtered. Ranma seems to be quite inspired when it comes to annoying people, doesn't she? And she picked out the outfit to boot."

For a moment, the older succubus thought her pink haired sister was joking, but the smile on Alexis' face was full of mirth that wouldn't have been there normally after a botched mission. Carefully, she took another sip of her tea and considered her sister.

Finally she asked, "What's going on here, dear sister?"

"I tried to warn you," Alexis shrugged, "Ranma wants nothing to do with the Guild. She was also pretty straight forward about what she thinks about Daddy. Ahem, and I quote, 'The ol' basterd can sit on a cactus for all I care.' Graphic, but it gets the point across."

Despair blinked for a moment, then collected herself and sighed, "You seem to be taking this rather…lightly. Can I assume that you are also going to say something I won't like?"

"Sorry Dizzy," and surprisingly, there was sorrow in the young demon's voice. "You were the one to tell me all about Amnara. And now, here's a new version of her with Master Happosai. You know how I feel about him. I didn't really mean for it to go this way, but Ranma showed me something that really shook me."

Despair asked sternly, "And what could she possibly say that would make you betray Father?"

Alexis sighed, "Her soul."

Silence fell over the table for several long moments, than Despair said softly, "It wasn't, you know. It was probably just residue from when she became one of us. From what the Amazon told us, the imprint of the demon transformed her. That would have destroyed her soul."

"No," Alexis said confidently, "I saw it, and its power. The transformation took place, sure, but Ranma is still human in her core. From what I found out, it's because Amnara found her soul before she died all those years ago."

Despair shook her head, "You can't truly believe that, can you? Amnara betrayed me…us all those years ago. She was a runaway who got herself killed by weak little humans. What you're talking about is fantasy."

Alexis nodded, "Master Happosai thought you'd say that. So did Ranma. That's why she asked me to deliver this to you."

The pink haired girl slid a folded note out of her jacket and passed it to her sister who opened it without hesitation.

"Dear Dizzy," she read aloud, grunting in annoyance at the nickname. "By now you've been told a lot of things that you are not going to believe, so we'll make this simple. I, Ranma Saotome, heir to the Anything Goes School and inheritor of the form of Amnara Nightbane formally challenge you to one on one combat tonight at midnight on the grounds of Furinkan High School. If I win, you will listen to what I have to tell you with an open mind. If I lose…well, Alexis has told me that you'll likely try and kill me, so I'll be dead if I lose. Looking forward to bashing your face in over the whole William thing. Love, your sort of sister, Ranma."

Despair folded the paper closed again and looked Alexis in the eye, "You have to be joking." Alexis shook her head, and Despair continued, "She sends a challenge, and wants to meet in some schoolyard at midnight?" Alexis nodded. "Who does this little bitch think she is?"

"A martial artist," Alexis answered, "and she takes her honor very seriously. Doing anything less under the circumstances would be blasphemous to her. What should I give to her as your answer?"

"Stop joking," Despair growled out, "and take me to her now so I can rip her so called soul out and present it to Father as we were told to do."

"No."

"No?"

Alexis nodded, "Sorry, this is how it goes down. And before you accuse me of anything, let me tell you this. I'm letting the Guild rot without me, and so should you if you want to survive."

The older demoness' eyes flashed red for a moment, showing her anger at her sister's flippant remark. She quickly gained control over herself however, and sat back to really consider the past few moments.

Finally, she softly spoke, "Very well, I'll meet Ranma tonight. But after that, you had best hope she has killed me, because I'm going to have to come after you. You know the price you must pay for breaking from the Guild."

"Bull shit," Alexis said bluntly. "The Guild has lied to us for years, and what's worse, even Daddy would be thrilled to kill us just for fun if it suited him. I never wanted that life, and neither did Amnara. And you know what? Deep down, neither do you. You're just too scared to admit it." Alexis stood and turned to leave, but looked back and added, "Ranma can offer something Daddy…no, the Guildmaster never could. She can make us a family."

The pink haired girl strode away, leaving her sister almost shaking in rage.

Despair tried to calm herself, but the idea of both of her younger sisters walking away from the Guild in such a dramatic fashion gnawed at the edge of her mind. Amnara had walked away the first time for love, and had fled the second time due to hatred of her father. Now Alexis was making a similar mistake by trying to flee the Guild because of some misguided idea that a demon could possess a human soul.

It would be easy to follow Alexis back to the Tendo Dojo with a squad of assasins and finish the job right, but she knew that an assault right now would rob the lesser demons of their advantages in the dark.

She sat back to finish her tea and considered another plan. To bring down Ranma and Alexis, she would need to bring considerable force to bear. She had no illusion that she would face the combined might of whatever forces were assembled in the Tendo compound, and she would need to call in an equal number to destroy them. Double that number if she wanted to do it right.

Ironically, it was one of Amnara's own lessons to her that led to this strategy.

"When subtlety fails," the redhead had once said, "bash their head in with a wooden plank."

As Alexis walked back to the Dojo she knew that her sister would be scheming up ways to counter perceived threats at the match tonight, or even figuring a way to sabotage the entire event by striking from unexpected directions. She had told Ranma all this, pointing out that Despair was not above using assassins and other underhanded tactics.

But her new big brother only smiled and told her, "She may fight dirty, and I can too if I have to. But if I do it won't do anything to convince her I'm different, and I have a code of honor that won't let me go back on my word. I've challenged her, and it's up to her to honor the challenge."

It didn't matter how hard Alexis had argued with him, he had made his mind up, and she found no help from anyone else in the Tendo house.

"Bloody martial artists," she grumbled to herself as she turned the last corner leading to the Tendo home. She stopped as she approached the gate, taking in the very well built boy standing in front of the closed entrance, staring blankly at the sign.

Sliding silently up to the lost looking male, she took in his rugged, all be it dirty, appearance. A battered yellow shirt and lose green pants tied at the bottom with yellow string. Fighting slippers similar to the ones Ranma usually wore, and a black spotted yellow bandana around his head.

He also looked like he was trying to make a decision that he really wanted to put off.

She was about to clear her throat to get his attention, and see if he would be good for a ride, when he suddenly looked skyward and sighed, "This is all Ranma's fault."

With a smile, Alexis chimed in, "How's that?"

Without looking back at her the young man continued, "If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be in this situation. I just would have bashed him into a pulp a long time ago and been done with it. But no, he has to go ruin everything by being so damn forgiving. I could just kill him for it, if it weren't for all the other crap."

Now genuinely curious, especially since the boy had just admitted to wanting to kill her 'brother', Alexis asked, "What other stuff is that?"

"The bastard is…" he paused and started again, "Why are you so curious?"

He turned around, and took in Alexis' smiling face. She was a little shorter then Ranma's girl form, and her hair was a few shades lighter, making it pinkish in color, but her frame and posture were almost identical to his rival. Her wardrobe on the other hand made Ryoga Hibiki blush ferociously.

After all, with the slight height advantage he had, it was almost unavoidable to look down her rather exposed cleavage.

Acting quickly, Ryoga pinched his nose and spun away from the girl, forcing the creamy soft skin from his mind.

Like that would work.

"Is there a problem?"

"No, no, no," Ryoga managed to get out, "but shouldn't you be wearing some clothes or something?"

Alexis smirked, but decided to have a little fun with the shy boy, "What, you think I'm unattractive? Am I so hideous you can't stand to look at me?"

"No, it's just…I…um…erk?"

"Good one, Porky. 'Erk' will really win her over."

Alexis and Ryoga looked up to see Ranma sitting on the compound wall smiling down at the two of them. He jumped down and landed lightly between the two of them, wrapping his arm around Ryoga and pulled him in conspiratorialy.

"Best bet to get back on her good side is to butter up her big brother," he told Ryoga in low tones.

The lost boy took this as good advice and asked, "Who's that?"

Ranma flipped away to land next to the pink haired girl and gave a huge smile, "Me."

Ryoga slumped, "I hate my life."

"I do too," chirped Ranma. He then added, "So what you doing here anyway?"

Ryoga twiddled his fingers for a moment and kept glancing at the dojo until finally Ranma cleared his throat. The lost boy looked up again and sighed deeply.

"I'm here to do what you told me," he admitted. "I'm going to tell Akane about…well, you know…"

Ranma's smile became wider at this, "Glad to hear. I think that neither one of us wants this to keep going on like this. But it's going to be rough; you spent so much time around here as P-Chan she may not forgive you. You know that, right?"

"You're not making this any easier, you know! She's the first REAL girl I've had feelings for. If she rejects me…I don't think I can handle it," Ryoga said, ending almost in a whisper.

"Oh, isn't he so cute when he's down on himself," cooed Alexis making Ryoga blush. "If the hammer happy tomboy doesn't want him, can I suck him dry?"

"I really didn't need that image," mumbled Ranma. He took a deep breath and added, "I'm glad you worked up the guts, especially since Nabiki was running out of patience. We've been a little busy around here, and having one less thing to worry about is gonna help a lot."

Ryoga blinked at this and forced a snarl down, "What could possibly be wrong with your perfect little life? Gained another superpower? Or did you find another girl to worship the defiled ground you walk on?"

"Look douche bag," growled Ranma, "if you want to take that attitude I can momentarily forget my promise not to fry you where you stand. We got hit by demon assassins last night, and their boss lady is meeting me tonight for a showdown." He paused, and at the look of disinterest in Ryoga's face added, "They took a shot at Akane too, numb nuts."

That got Ryoga's attention and the fanged youth marched up to Ranma, grabbing him by the collar, "What did you do this time, Saotome?"

"You really want to put my brother down," Alexis said softly. Ryoga turned to bite off a sharp remark, but found he was drowning in swirling blue eyes fixed on his. With a sigh of contentment, he let Ranma go. The pink haired girl that filled his vision gave him a small smile that caused a small leak of blood to dribble out his nose, and he was about to stammer out a greeting to the girl when she reared back her fist and socked him right in the mouth.

Alexis let him out of her hypnotic gaze and turned to Ranma, "So who is this guy anyway?"

Ranma sighed, "An old friend, sort of. He's got no sense of direction, or of how to deal with women, but he's as strong as an ox. Too bad he has a temper to match."

"I'm right here you know," Ryoga snarled. He then turned to glare at the pink haired girl and continued, "How the hell did you do that anyway? I thought only demons could do that."

The smiles returned to the two 'siblings' and Ranma pulled Ryoga into the Tendo compound, closing the gate behind them. He then nodded to Alexis who, much to the surprise of Ryoga shrugged off her jacket and sprouted a pair of wings identical to the ones Ranma had in his female form.

The bandana wearing martial artist looked over at Ranma and asked calmly, "Did you do that to her?"

"I'm a succubus, not a vampire or werewolf," said Alexis as she folded her wings away and put her jacket back on. "I was born with this, just like Ranma was in her past life."

"Her past life?"

"Buddy," Ranma declared, "we have a LOT to catch you up on."

With that he led Ryoga into the house, careful to keep a hand on his one time friend's shoulder so that he didn't wander off in the middle of the story. Finding seats at the living room table, where Nabiki gave Ryoga a hard look and a grunt before turning back to a book, they told him all he had missed in the last few days.

As Ryoga herd about Amnara's life, his face darkened and he asked solemnly, "This Guild killed everyone around her?"

Ranma nodded in reply, "That's why we have to be a little more direct with these people. Alexis has been looking for an out, and I want nothing to do with the bunch of them. But as long as they think they can walk all over humans they're going to keep believing that they can get their way."

"Ranma's right, Hibiki," Nabiki said from behind her book. "Take your bread feud with Ranma and amp it up by a hundred fold. It's just a matter of time before things get deadly around here, so all we can do is fight back."

Ryoga considered the psychic's words, and sighed deeply. But before he could get anything out, Akane entered the room and he froze in place.

"Oh, Ryoga," they youngest Tendo greeted. "Did you come to help out against Ranma's evil demon sister?"

Ryoga looked at Alexis with a sharp glance, and she quickly answered, "Wrong one. We have an older sister. She's the one Ranma's fighting tonight."

"So it went down like I thought," Nabiki said more then asked. She closed her book and her eyes, and concentrated for a moment. As if summoned, the rest of the household drifted into the living room and found places to sit.

Ryoga looked around at the serious expressions, especially on the faces of Soun, Happosai and Cologne; he could only come to one conclusion.

This was a council of war.

Alexis started, "Despair is going to show tonight, but she's already plotting, if I know anything about her. She's probably going to show in force, and send a second team here to kill off anyone left behind. She really likes being thorough."

"Then it's a good thing I do too," Nabiki added. "If we all just go, they'll trash this place and just come up behind us. But splitting our force too much could leave us vulnerable at the fight. I doubt that Ranma can keep this honest on his own."

Cologne spoke next, "Happi and I can stay here. Unless they send an army, the two of us should be able to handle them."

"The three of us," Soun added. When the others looked at him, he looked down, "This is our home, and while my children are going off to battle, I know that they can take care of themselves. I have no place in that battlefield, and the Master and I have spoken about this already."

"Soun is going back into training," Happosai said to the surprise of everyone at the table. "While I have declared Ranma my heir, the school will still need superior teachers. The fact that he has let his skills degrade for so many years means that I need to keep an eye on him till I deem him ready to resume his place as a Master of the School."

"That almost sounded like you care about your students, Gramps. Better be careful there," Ranma scolded. Happosai turned up his nose at his young apprentice, and got a chuckle from most of the room.

"The rest of us are going to the fight to make sure that it stays one on one between Ranma and Despair," Alexis continued after a moment."

Shampoo spoke next with a question, "What we expect from eldest demon sister?"

"She'll bring in troopers this time," Alexis answered, and Happosai nodded his agreement. "The assassins you fought before were all about speed and stealth. The Guild foot soldiers are a lot tougher. They may not be as strong as a full demoness, but they are more then enough to wipe out groups of normal humans single handedly."

"It is a good thing then," Kodachi said with a cold voice, "that none of us are quite 'normal' as it were."

Ryoga looked around in confusion at the dynamic that seemed to have developed in the household. He knew that Ranma and Nabiki had unusual powers, and Kasumi and Kodachi had their gymnastics training. But that didn't seem like it was going to be enough to take on a pack of demons.

"Um," he spoke up, "are all of you nuts? You're talking about fighting things that are going to be trying to kill you. And most of you aren't martial artists. Shouldn't you let the police, or someone else, handle this?"

"Actually," Ranma said with one of his infuriating smirks, "I was going to ask you to tag along. You probably have more brute strength then any of these jokers, and almost as much skill as I do. Add in the fact that none of them know a thing about you, and we get a little element of surprise in too. What do you say?"

Ryoga growled out, "Why on earth should I help you?"

Ranma took in the other boy's mood and was tempted to hold the revelation of his curse over his head. He shook his head at that, realizing that that was something his father would do. Closing his eyes, he thought for a moment, and then spoke softly.

"A debt of honor."

Ryoga blinked at that. Ranma had effectively just offered him a carte blanche favor that he would be obliged to repay on his oath. The lost boy took a moment to consider this carefully as the others around him continued making battle plans. Standing, he made his way, with subtle guidance from some of the others, to the porch looking out over the back yard. Sitting down outside, Ryoga took a deep breath and thought. He really didn't have a problem with helping Ranma, and his fear that the pig tailed boy would reveal his secret was now placed by the wayside. What bothered Ryoga was far more primal.

Fear.

He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but his one battle with an enraged demonic Ranma had shook him deeply. Sure, he had faced more then his share of challenges, and had even been in life risking situations more then once. But the cold look in Ranma's glowing red eyes still haunted him.

To fight a small army of demons seemed like pure madness to him.

Dusk was beginning to fall, and he still had yet to make up his mind on the matter. He saw that most of the rest of the group had left, most likely to get some rest before the battle.

"Yen for your thoughts?"

Ryoga looked up to see Akane doing some simple stretches on the lawn. Even in her plain gi, Ryoga was entranced by the girl, but shook it off as he realized that this was what he had come for. Standing he walked out and stood across from Akane, his nerves on edge.

"Actually," he started, "I wanted to talk to you. I had no idea all of this was going on, and if now isn't a good time…"

Akane stopped, "Don't worry about it. It's just another crazy fight in the life of a Tendo. I've been training a lot more recently, so I'm pretty sure I'll be fine."

"That's something I don't get," Ryoga commented. "You and Ranma never seem to really get along. Why are you helping him?"

The short haired girl actually laughed at that, "For a while, I wouldn't have. But Nabiki loves the creep, and he's looked out for her. He also seems to take this very seriously, and you can almost feel sorry for him after everything he's gone through. You and I are lucky. We don't have to worry about demon heritages and curses."

Ryoga gulped loudly, and fought his first impulse to run. "Actually, it's funny you mention that," he stammered out. He took a deep breath, and dropped to his knees. Akane seemed shocked at the look of despair on his face, and move forward to comfort the boy. But before she reached out to him, he held up his hand.

"I've done a terrible thing, and it's taken me so long to admit it because I was scared."

Akane looked down at the boy in worry and asked, "Why are you scared?"

"I'm afraid because if I tell my secret, then someone I may have feelings for will hate me forever. After the way my first…crush turned out, I don't think I can handle rejection like that."

Akane knelt in front of the lost boy and took his face in her hands, "No one could hate you, Ryoga. Sure, you're a little rough, but you're a kind person. After what Ranma did to you, I understand if you're a little nervous, but you can't let that stop you. If you do, then you lose before you start."

"Thank you, Akane," Ryoga said in a low voice. Taking a deep breath he collected his nerves and stood facing her. "I've wronged you. I hid something from you that you should have been told. Ranma and Nabiki have given me this chance to come clean so that I can salvage what's left of my honor. They kept my secret at my request, and I ask that you don't hold them responsible for that."

Akane looked at the boy and asked, "What are you talking about? What could be so bad that you kept it from me?"

Ryoga walked to the edge of the koi pond and looked down, "Two and a half months ago, Ranma passed through China. At the time I was following him to get my revenge."

"I remember you talking about that," Akane told him. "You wound up seeing Ranma's girl form. Does this have something to do with that? You didn't sleep with her, did you?"

"No, no, no!" Ryoga calmed himself, and fought down the images of a nude redhead in the Tendo bathroom. After a long pause he continued, "It was when I saw her the first time. I was standing on a cliff over a valley, trying to get my bearings. Ranma, in girl form and barely dressed, came out of the woods. You know what happened to my feelings then, but what you don't know is what happened to the rest of me. I lost my balance on the edge of the cliff…and fell into the valley below."

"Oh," gasped Akane, "were you all right?"

"Yes," Ryoga answered, then managed to get out, "the spring water broke my fall."

"Thank goodness," Akane sighed. She was about to ask him to continue when she noticed his despondent and expectant look. Figuring that he must have said something of importance she thought back over what he had said. He had been in China…following Ranma…and fell off a cliff into a valley…and landed in a spring.

Akane moved and dipped her hands in the koi pond, cupping them and bringing a small amount of water out. She turned back to face Ryoga, and saw the boy wince at what she intended to do. But he knuckled down, and with clinched fists at his sides and eyes squeezed closed, he awaited the inevitable.

Akane lifted her hands and slowly let the water pour over the form of Ryoga, and as she feared he began to change. A quick and drastic reduction in size caused him to be swallowed by his clothes. As they fell, a small thump could be heard on the ground, and Akane kneeled once more. She moved the yellow shirt Ryoga habitually wore and found what he had been transformed into.

Her hands went to her mouth as she gasped in realization as her pet piglet sat before her, still wearing Ryoga's bandana and clinching his large eyes closed. A small and pitiful piggy whine was the only sound that disturbed the moment.

Then there was silence again.

Ryoga risked opening an eye to look up at the young girl, and what he found made him hunch down even lower. Akane was almost glowing in fury, her hand raised with a flaming mallet, shaking in mid air. After a few moments, the mallet had refused to move, and Ryoga looked up as the girl seemed to control her anger.

Her next declaration voided this hope however, "Damn it Nabiki, get out of my mind!" Ryoga whipped his head around to look at the porch, and saw the middle Tendo sister with her eyes closed, holding up a hand in a warding gesture. The middle Tendo sister walked out to where Akane still struggled to smash her mallet down and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"We need him," Nabiki said calmly. "Besides, do you really want to give into that anger?"

Akane yelled out, "Yes! What's the use of all that time with a god damned shrink telling me that people aren't perverted, and I find out that a boy has been sleeping in my bed?! God, I snuggled with that little piglet! Why shouldn't I be mad with him?! And you, and Ranma for that matter!"

Nabiki winced, but collected herself quickly and looked Akane in the eye, "We made a few bad choices, I won't deny it." Akane gave a snort of disgust, but Nabiki continued on, "But do you really think I would let anything like that happen to you? Ryoga enforced his secret on Ranma because Ranma felt guilty about what happened. But neither of us gave Ryoga an inch. Did he ever really look at you in a perverted way? Did he treat you poorly? Did the little swine even look at you while you changed?"

Akane wanted to fume, to let the anger consume her, but Nabiki wouldn't let her, and an icy blanket wrapped around her mind, letting her take a moment to think. She knew that Nabiki was stealing her anger, but she also knew that her sister wouldn't invade her mind like that unless there was a point to be made, so she used her moment of clear thought to look back at her times with the cursed martial artist.

"No," she whispered out in answer to Nabiki's questions.

A small thermos floated out of the house and into Nabiki's hand as the coldness left Akane's mind, and Nabiki opened it over the black piglet, returning Ryoga to his birth form. Quickly the boy pulled his clothes back on.

"So now the two of you need to talk," Nabiki said sternly. "I want you to talk until there is nothing left to say, but remember, you don't have much time. We move out at fifteen till midnight, and I want you both rested and ready. Got me Hibiki?"

"I haven't even said I'd help yet," grumbled Ryoga.

"Please," Nabiki smirked, "Ranma going toe to toe with a high demon who was her sister in a past life. Add in a horde of skilled warriors to fight against. Plus a chance to mitigate the damage you've done. Need I go on?"

Sighing, Ryoga mumbled, "Fine, I'll be there with freaking bells on."

"Good," Nabiki chirped in a happy voice, spun on one heel and marched into the house, leaving the two teens to work through the new twist in their relationship.

Heading into her room, she saw Shampoo sleeping comfortably in her cat-girl form, rolled up into a ball on Nabiki's bed as Ranma simply sat on the edge of the bed, lightly petting the blue haired girl and staring out the window into the dark sky.

"It's taken care of," she said quietly as she joined the redhead. Ranma only nodded as she continued to gaze out the window, and for a time, all was peaceful as Ranma and Nabiki, their hands intertwined, stroked the softly purring form between them. There was no real need for words between them, it had all been said, and they drew comfort from each other's presence, and the bond they all shared.

Ranma felt the warmth of Nabiki's confidence and control within her, just as she felt Shampoo's determination and playfulness, even as she slept. The redheaded demoness knew that they would fight along side her with pride and strength, and afterward would stand beside her in love and friendship. It was the most wonderful thing Ranma had ever felt, and right then and there she vowed to herself that she would win that night, if for no other reason then the love of the two beautiful girls with her at that moment.

The soft buzz of Nabiki's alarm shock her from her revere and awoke Nabiki, who had drifted off, leaning across Shampoo's back. The cat-girl was also roused, and stretched out with a silent yawn. The Amazon then sat up and gave a warm kiss to each girl.

Ranma stood, and announced, "Let's get ready."

She was about to disrobe and change when Shampoo placed a hand on her own and spoke, "You no do that."

"Shampoo's right, lover girl," Nabiki added with a smile. "It's tradition that the servants prepare the master for battle."

Ranma was about to object, but a kiss on each cheek by her two lovers silenced her, and she merely mumbled out, "Fine. What am I going to do with you two?"

"Love us forever," Shampoo whispered in her ear as she began to undo Ranma's tunic. Nimble hands undid the simple ties that held the red shirt closed. Once the last was undone, Shampoo pulled it open, and Nabiki took the collar from behind as Ranma shrugged out of it. Then Nabiki knelt behind the girl and wrapped her arms around the small waist of the redhead, deftly undoing the tie holding her pants up. Pulling them slowly down, along with Ranma's boxer shorts, Nabiki lightly kissed Ranma's backside as it was exposed. Shampoo held Ranma's hands as she stepped out of her trousers, and the two girls moved about, preparing Ranma's leathers for dressing.

The corset was placed on Ranma first, each girl lightly licking a breast before they placed the cool leather against Ranma's skin. They moved behind the demoness as Ranma raised her arms, allowing them to work the garment on. With care, the two girls laced the leather along Ranma's back, making sure that it would not impede the appearance of her wings. They then kissed Ranma on the shoulders as the redhead lowered her arms again, their lips briefly making contact with her neck, causing a small shiver to run up the girl's spine.

Next came the gloves. Each girl took an arm, sliding the silk up on both arms and taking care to tug it snugly so that the elbow length garments would stay on in the battle. Once they were on the girls moved on to pick up Ranma's boots. Shampoo led Ranma to sit down in Nabiki's desk chair and the psychic girl knelt in from of Ranma. The middle Tendo sister kissed Ranma lightly on the top of each foot before pulling the boots on, and was glad they had spent a little time polishing the leather as it gleamed in the moonlight that filtered in through the window.

Once the heeled boots were on, Ranma was allowed to stand once more and Shampoo traded places with Nabiki, who stood to offer her hands in support as Shampoo held the back leather thong out for Ranma to step into. As she did so, Shampoo allowed her hands to run over Ranma's thighs, guiding the small garment into place. But before she tucked the thong into its final place, shampoo gave a long and deep kiss to Ranma's lower lips, sending yet another shiver of pleasure along the demoness' spine.

With a final tug, the small piece of leather was secure, and both girls stood once more before Ranma. Nabiki moved forward and moved her hands around Ranma's neck, securing the black choker Ranma wore into place, its dark material a contrast against Ranma's light skin. Nabiki then embraced Ranma and gave the shorter girl a deep, searing kiss that lasted for a good long while.

She then stepped back and Shampoo took her place. The Amazon knelt in front of Ranma once more and used a small fastener to attach Ranma's whip to her side, ready to be drawn at a moment's notice. The blue haired girl then stood again and copied Nabiki, giving the redhead a passion filled kiss that left both girls dizzy for a moment.

Ranma smiled as her two loves stepped back, and bowed slightly to her, and she returned the gesture.

Minutes later, a gathering took place in the back yard of the Tendo house. Happosai, Cologne and Soun stood on the porch as the teens gathered to go off to battle. Kodachi and Kasumi stood in matching leotards, black roses adorning the tight outfits. Akane wore her gi, and was flexing her hands, testing the weight of her hammer for the coming battle. Alexis leaned against the tree, wearing her red leathers and nervously flicking a small knife into and out of her jacket pocket. Ryoga stood to one side, gazing into space, and avoiding looking at any of the girls in the yard.

At last, Nabiki levitated down from her room clad in kung-fu slippers, low riding black tights and a black sports bra, the mark that proclaimed her bonded to Ranma proudly displayed on her bare skin. Shampoo dropped down next to her once she landed showing off her feline grace as well as an identical outfit with a hole cut in the bottoms for her tail and her feet uncovered allowing her enlarged claws freedom. Her own brand was exposed as well, and both girls wore identical black chokers that bore a single red stud.

Finally Ranma left the second floor of the Tendo house and rode the wind down to meet the war party. As she touched down, she had to hide her smirk behind a serious expression as Ryoga quickly slapped a hand over his nose, but not before a small drip of blood leaked out.

"All right," Ranma said, addressing the group. "We all know that the Guild is planning on waltzing all over us tonight, but that's not going to happen. We have the skill, we have the power, and we have something worth fighting for. Something they don't understand. We're family. It may not be by blood," Ranma nodded to Kodachi and Ryoga, "or by choice for that matter," he looked at Akane and Ryoga and saw Akane pointedly looking away from the lost boy, "but I feel we are family none the less. And I want you all to know that I'd march up to the Devil himself and kick his ass for each and every one of you. All I ask of you tonight is keep the small fry off me so I can deal with the boss lady. Anyone want out?"

There was silence.

"Wrecking Crew…its show time!"

With that, the teens jumped up, Ranma and Alexis spreading their wings as the rest took to hopping up to the rooftops and running along the tiled peaks at breakneck speed.

To be continued.


	32. War of the Wings

Author's Note: The cast of Ranma ½ are the work of Rumiko Takahashi, and were distributed by Kitty and Viz. I am not Takahashi sensei and claim no IP rights. Personally I'm glad because the crew of OHWP thinks she's twisted. As always, a warning for naughty bits ahead, sex, violence and the like. No minors or easily offended people allowed.

P.S.: Janice is still the driving force behind this, but now I write for the fans of the story as well.

Despair looked out over the school yard, smirking at the potential for corruption that always lurked in places like this. Cheating, abuse, lust, and even jealousy were always in abundance when a large group of teenagers were gathered in one place. Were it not for one thing these buildings seemed to have, they would be perfect feeding grounds for entire communities of demons.

Hope.

Hope for romance, hope for making parents and loved ones proud, and most of all, hope for the future. In most places it wasn't enough to overpower the shadows, but it was always there.

She wondered silently if there was hidden meaning in this battle taking place here, but in the end she chalked it up to paranoia that came with her position. By the dawn, there would be no hope left in this place, she would see to that as she ripped out the still beating heart of her so called sister.

Her musing halted as a whisper in the wind announced an arrival, and she looked up to see a figure glide down into the field across from her. Stepping out of the shadows to meet the newcomer, she saw a curvy redhead in skimpy leather. She easily recognized the young woman, even though it had been over five hundred years.

You do not forget your own sister easily.

Quickly glancing up and surveying the area, she also spotted seven figures on the roof of the school building. They were poised to strike, but remained where they were, as if waiting for something. She also saw that one of them sported wings like the redhead before her, and knew that Alexis had been serious about choosing to defy her.

Softly she called out over the field, "I see that you decided not to do this one on one. Good, it would have been boring to kill you so easily."

"They're here to keep this honest," the redhead chided, "it's still going down as just you and me. Besides, with all your talk and bluster, you still have no idea what you're up against. Ranma Saotome never loses."

Despair gave an evil chuckle and snapped her fingers. At the sound, shapes began emerging from behind trees and bleachers and from shadows in the night. In moments twenty monstrous forms came into view, ranging from almost human demons to one hulking brute that stood well over the heads of everyone present.

"Kill her," Despair commanded simply.

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 32

War of the Wings

The demons were not the only ones to jump into action as Despair's command, and the martial artists on the High School roof leapt down, charging into battle. The odds were stacked against them, but they didn't care. In fact, Akane could only smile as she felt her body shift into riot control mode, instincts used after fighting off Kuno's group ambushes coming into play once again.

Flowing into the charging group, Akane spun, dodging a bladed arm and shot her fist upwards as she moved in close. Her knuckles connected with the humanoid's jaw, and she spun around him, avoiding a sword swing from another supernatural killer as she kicked high, catching the second target in the stomach. She knew that her initial blows wouldn't stop the charge, but that wasn't on her shoulders alone. She felt none of her old anger, as she was truly part of a team tonight.

She spun again and delivered a snap kick to her original target as he recovered. She was also a true expression of the Tendo School tonight, and the anger was replaced by determination to do her father's teachings proud.

Kodachi announced her entrance into the battle with a razor edged hoop that almost took the head off her first opponent. Where Akane was a whirlwind of punches and kicks, Kodachi showed her own style as she leapt into the air and threw dozens of spiked clubs into the attacking horde. She saw the youngest Tendo shoot a high kick under the already damaged jaw of her first opponent, and with a snap of her wrist the gymnast let loose her ribbon to wrap around the demon's neck. Using the momentum from her charge, she swung around on the ribbon as it tightened on the neck and solidly planted her knee in the back of the demon's spine. Akane's own punch to his knees while dropping into a sweep kick ended the first of the assailants and the two girls stood.

"This is going to be a busy night," Akane quipped to her sister's lover as Kodachi pulled a spiked club out of the ground and threw it at her. She dodged slightly and the silvery partitions imbedded into another demon as it got ready to attack from behind.

Kodachi grinned, "Indeed." With that the two girls moved into action again, choosing new targets.

Not far away, Ryoga cracked his knuckles as the largest of the combatants approached him. It was his silent request to the others that he challenge this one, not only to test his abilities against the muscular beast, but to vent frustration with his talk with Akane.

He slid into a ready stance, and almost had his head taken off by a waving blade that lashed out from behind him. Spinning in place, he drew his umbrella and blocked the backhand strike that followed, but was unable to move as the fist of his original opponent descended on him. He was spared the crushing of his bones however, as the fist stopped short and a wave of force pushed it back and was followed by gashes along the brute's stomach made by an unseen force.

Pushing forward, Hibiki knocked the sword wielder off balance and spun, delivering a roundhouse strike with the weighted bamboo as he spotted his rescuer.

Nabiki ran in and pushed her hands forward, making more distortions in the air that traveled like needles into the back of the giant, striking along the spine.

"Keep your head on a swivel, Ryoga," Nabiki shouted as she ran past him to draw another enemy.

Bringing his foot down, Ryoga solidly kicked his opponent in the head and called out, "This is madness! What kind of fight is this?!"

"This is war," Called Nabiki as she met up with her older sister who held a pair of female twins at bay with spinning rods.

The identical red skinned girls seemed as acrobatic as Kasumi, but the gymnastic mistress held her own as they spun, flipped and rolled around each other. The twins wielded sharp nails that looked as if they were edged in metal, and Kasumi used all her flexibility to keep out of reach. She was even able to go on the offensive as she back flipped away at one point and spun on her hands to deliver a split legged kick to one twin as she leapt after the tumbling Tendo.

Nabiki joined the fray by vaulting over her limber sister and delivering a hard jump kick to the face of the second twin. The two pairs of sisters recovered quickly and faced off. Kasumi started the next exchange by kicking up her apprentice's discarded hoop and throwing it hard between the red duo. The demon girls sprung away to either side, and the Tendos moved to follow.

Kasumi cart wheeled after one, and in the middle of her upside down arc, pitched her rods at her adversary. The metal projectiles caught the demon in the shoulders, and threw her off balance long enough for the one time home maker to close in for a club strike to either side of the red girl's head.

Nabiki however had simply turned to face the opposite twin and gestured towards her in a come hither fashion. The demon girl took this as an invite to attack with her edged fingers and charged. She was jolted out of her attack, however, when Kasumi's hoop, which had followed Nabiki's fingers as she guided the modified gymnastic tool straight into the attacking girl's neck.

The Tendo sisters nodded to each other, and Kasumi flipped away to check on her apprentice as Nabiki looked over to see how her Amazon co-wife was fairing.

Shampoo had her claws out and was in a high speed battle with a skeletally thin demon that moved almost blindingly fast. She used her curse granted agility to keep one step ahead of the creature's attacks and her Amazon trained skill to counter as often as she could. Dropping to all fours, she jumped high into the air, drawing from some of her husband's teachings, and sprung over her foe. As the demon whipped around, she landed hands first and pushed both her legs out in a claw first mule kick that caught him in the stomach.

The creature stumbled back and Shampoo turned to face him, letting out a feline hiss of anger as she jumped again. Her pounce landed on his shoulders, and the purple haired cat girl attempted to claw at his eyes. The demon had other ideas, however, and fell forward, smacking Shampoo back first into the ground.

Shampoo scrambled out from under the thin attacker before he could bring his daggers into play and rolled to safety. Her hand scraped along the ground, claws digging into the schoolyard, and with a flick of her wrist a spray of dirt was sent into the face of her enemy, blinding him momentarily.

She rolled forward again and grabbed both sides of the skull like head of her opponent, and yanked hard to one side. Others in the group may have had reservations of such a final attack, but she understood what was at stake, and her wife and husband knew that as well.

The Amazon stood, flexed her claws, and went in search of new prey.

Another warrior knew how deadly this fight would get, and she was starting to wonder if it was worth it. Alexis fired another blast at a horned demon with spikes instead of hands and it dodged quickly.

"Damn it," she growled, "hold still!"

Thinking back, she realized that she had fallen into a pattern, just as she had done against Ranma. It had been her undoing then, and she found that the horned demon was reacting just as well as her half human sister.

Shifting her aim, Alexis launched another fire blast not at the lesser demon, but at the ground where he was moving. The shock from the eruption knocked him over, and Alexis moved in quickly to finish it off.

As she closed, she drew her silver switchblade to plunge into its heart, but her strike was blocked by the demon's pointed limbs. She looked into his face, and saw a warning smirk as a mystically charged bolt of electricity arced between the spikes, catching her metal blade and blowing her back.

She shook her head, trying to clear it and get back into the fight, but her arms were slow in moving, and unable to push her off the ground. She watched as her foe stood and walked to her, raising its arm up to finish her with a dark smile on his face.

His smile changed to a look of surprise as his body went stiff and toppled over. Alexis blinked and saw a dozen needles imbedded in the horned demon's back, and past him she saw Kasumi, hand outstretched from a throw.

The eldest Tendo sister walked up and asked, "Are you all right?"

"Sure," Alexis replied. "What did you hit him with?"

Kasumi smiled, "A paralytic poison my apprentice whipped up for this fight. We better get back to work. After all, Ranma is counting on us."

And as the gymnast ran back into the fray, Alexis realized that this is why the battle was worth it. Her family was counting on her, and she would never let them down.

In all the chaos, an island of calm existed. As the outnumbered martial artists faced off against a group of underestimating demons, Ranma stood facing Despair. Only a short distance seemed to separate the two, but as Ranma looked into the eyes of the older demon, she saw an almost wistful glance that also separated them by five hundred years.

"She forgave you, you know," Ranma said softly. Even over the cacophony around them, Despair heard her clearly, and her face hardened for a moment.

She managed to get out, "There was no wrong on my part. She stood against her people, even her own family. I may have forgiven her lapse in judgment once, but she abandoned us when she disappeared into the east. To be betrayed twice is too much to bear."

Ranma shook her head, "It was never about you. She wanted what all of us want, what all of us fight for. She wanted to be free. Can you tell me that at the time, you weren't tempted to go with her? To be free like her?"

Despair's voice caught in her throat as memories of the days on the road with her sister flooded back. Yes, she had been jealous of her sister's care free attitude, but she had never wanted to drop her responsibilities to chase after a dream.

Had she?

Forsaking words, Despair tugged at one of the white strips of leather that made up her outfit. Ranma watched her carefully, and felt a surge of dark energy from the older succubus as the white haired demon flicked her wrist. In a flash of red light, the white leather was now held straight out and stiff in Despair's hand. She shifted her grip slightly, and Ranma saw that the once loose strap was held like a sword, and her experience with Ryoga's ki hardened bandanas made her believe that this was very similar to the Iron Cloth technique.

The redhead shifted her stance, and tentatively reached for her whip. In an armed melee battle, Despair would have the edge in attacking power with her blade and Ranma decided that the range advantage of Kasumi's gift would not be enough to counter it. Instead she slid into a closed defensive stance and waited for Despair to make the first move.

She did not have long as the white haired woman slashed her charged leather sword downward and an arc of red energy shot out at Ranma. The martial artist dodged wildly out of the way and saw the red arc blow past her, digging into the ground at its bottom edge. The blast continued onward, slamming into the elevated edge of the yard with an explosive spray of dirt and grass.

"Holy crap," Ranma muttered. With that one blast, Despair had showed her reincarnated sister what five hundred years of accumulating power could do. Now as Ranma kicked back upright, the redhead's mind was spinning, looking for advantages as she ran forward before her opponent finished her backswing.

Jumping the last few meters, Ranma threw a mid air snap kick that sailed by Despair as the stronger demoness turned. But before the woman could bring her sword to bear on the fast moving girl Ranma was in her face, unleashing a series of backhand and palm strikes along her chest, pushing her back and knocking some of her breath away.

A two fingered strike to the inside of Despair's elbow gave Ranma more breathing room as that arm numbed slightly, and the demon girl pressed her momentary advantage, spinning into a high kick.

Despair ducked under the kick, and shot out her own boot clad leg, sweeping Ranma who kicked again with her off foot and swept Despair off her feet to join her on the ground.

Both leather bound demons kicked up into each other's crossed arms, pushing hard to knock the other off balance. Finding no advantage, they moved away from each other and Ranma's hand went to her hip, tugging her whip free as Despair recovered her sword from where it fell at her feet.

Kicking the blade up, she reached for it with her right hand as it flew up, but Ranma snapped her whip, stinging the outstretched hand. Letting the whip spin around once, Ranma brought it in again and lashed at Despair's neck, but again the older demoness ducked, her left hand reaching behind her back as she faced the ground to catch her blade as it arced back downward.

Coming back up, Despair pulled her blade around her, launching a slash that almost took Ranma's head off, but the nimble girl fell backwards, flipping low and pushing off the ground with her hands. As she was upside down, Ranma flicked her wrist, sending the whip to strike at Despair's feet as another red arc of power passed over her own.

Despair jumped up, avoiding the strike, and kicked forward, attempting to catch Ranma with her spiked heel, but the redhead rolled forward again, under her foe. Both succubi finished their moves, and standing once more found they were back to back.

"This is getting us nowhere," Ranma snorted.

Despair chuckled, "True. It seems you still have skill, little sister."

Ranma smirked as well, "It took a whole new lifetime to get this good. From what Amnara remembered, you got a little better as well."

"I had no choice. After you ran, someone had to stand and protect our family."

Ranma looked over her shoulder, and her blue eyes met Despair's glowing red ones, "Like I said, I'm just Amnara's heir. But as for you stepping up, he's not worth it. As soon as he doesn't have a use for you, he'll kill you. I saw how Amnara felt about you and Alexis cares about you too, so I'd hate to see that happen to you. Especially before I have a chance to get to know my new sister."

"Such is my fate," Despair said softly.

Ranma countered with a hard voice, "I'll never believe that. In the end, the only one responsible for your death by his hands is you. Let me help you."

Despair didn't answer her in words. Instead she spun in place, her blade at neck height, but Ranma was already gone. Leaping into the air, the redhead had taken flight, her wings spread wide and a charged fireball streaking towards her white haired opponent's face.

Going airborne as well to avoid the blast, Despair rapidly flexed her wings to get an altitude advantage over Ranma, but the younger demoness was charging in. Ranma mixed all she had learned about flying with the mid-air aspect of the Anything Goes School and executed a two kick combo that ended with her flipping off Despair and gaining a little boost in height.

Working her wings hard, Ranma sped away, gaining distance for the next exchange, but she was followed closely by the more experienced flyer and found herself struggling for more speed as Despair closed.

The elder succubus was impressed by her adversary's ability to adapt. In a heartbeat the battle had gone from a ground fight, where the redhead was her equal, to an air battle, where she thought she would have an advantage. However she found that Ranma had learned this form of combat as well, and after the kicks she had took, Despair wondered how the little demoness had gotten to be as good as she was.

Closing rapidly, Despair threw her blade at Ranma, aiming for the wing roots, but the redhead dove out of the way and rolled onto her back, palms aimed back and ablaze with red light. Quickly the white haired flyer rolled away as well, and the two of them danced in the night air like a pair of leaves.

Ranma saw Despair closing again, and figured the demon behind her was at least twice as fast as she was in the air, and even disarmed, she knew that Despair would be a threat close in.

_Must go faster,_ Ranma thought. _Need more speed. Faster then a bat or bird. Like a plane, or even a rocket…_

Suddenly, Ranma's usual smirk was back in place as she focused on shifting her powers about her body. Drawing from her hands and wings, she slowed for a moment into a glide. Despair was almost on top of her, outreached hand burning with bale fire.

Suddenly, Ranma's body went stiff, her wings folding in close and the redhead shouted, "HELLBOOSTERS!"

A streak of compressed hellfire shot out Ranma's feet, and the bottoms of her half melted boots shot backwards, almost hitting Despair in her surprised face as the redhead that was a handbreadth in front of her suddenly surged forward and up on a column of otherworldly power.

Ranma didn't scream, she didn't want to accidentally swallow a bug or something as she found herself moving faster then she ever had before. She almost closed her eyes, but she knew that would be fatal.

Arching her back slightly and allowing her wings the barest hint of surface area, she began to attempt to control her screaming flight as the town whizzed by beneath her. With the slightest tug of drag, Ranma found she was spinning back towards Furinkan, and took in every ounce of her reflexes to control herself and aim at her target.

With only a moment to impact, Ranma killed all her demonic power and switched her concentration to the white light of her soul that she had only begun to understand. It almost didn't work, but she felt the support of those bound to her, and three voices echoed in her heart.

_Ranma Saotome never loses._

The white comet that streaked into the sky above the high school was met by a red sphere of dark power wielded by Despair, and the results of the impact stopped all combat on the ground far below.

The detonation of energy was massive, and while Ranma had not contributed much power to the explosion, the nature of the power she used was almost a catalyst that reacted to the demon energy Despair wielded.

It was as simple and deadly as matter and anti-matter combining to ensure mutual annihilation.

Two smoke shrouded forms dropped from the sky, landing, or crashing rather, into the ground and for a moment, there was stillness.

The Nerimians, shocked by the eruption, gaped at the spectacle. They were tired, battered and worn out, but they were warriors and stood their ground, encouraged by loyalty to each other and the drive to see the fight through.

The demons, those that remained alive and coherent, also gaped at the display. Such power was seldom tossed about freely, even by the strongest of their ranks. They were killers, not warriors, and the only thing that kept them from breaking ranks right then was fear that if Despair had survived she would turn on any who ran.

This battle could now be won or lost in a heartbeat.

Slowly, a figure arose and stumbled out of the dust kicked up by the impact of the two succubi. She was bleeding, and bruised. Her hair a mess and her leather outfit in shambles. Her right arm was limp, and her steps were unsure.

But Ranma Saotome stood once more, glowing red eyes locked on the remaining demons.

"WHO ELSE WANTS A PIECE OF ME!!!"

The wave of power, laced with killing intent, which followed Ranma's shout, was almost as large as the explosion that had just occurred moments ago, and in a matter of seconds, the demons had scattered to the four winds in an attempt to flee the enraged greater demoness. For a moment, Ranma held her position, maintaining her menacing air.

Then, almost as suddenly as it had appeared, the demonic aura snuffed out, and Ranma collapsed to the ground.

With shouts of worry, Nabiki and Shampoo sprinted to Ranma's side and were checking on the downed redhead. The others were close on their heels, and looked down as Nabiki checked Ranma over for injury.

"This is pretty bad," the middle Tendo said, forcing her voice to be calm. "Her arm is broken, and I can't tell how many more bones are broke. She shouldn't have been able to stand."

Akane replied, "Too damn stubborn to die…"

Nabiki looked up at her sister, an angry retort ready. But she stopped when she saw the genuine concern in her younger sibling, and knew then that Akane had not spoken as an insult to Ranma, but a simple statement of truth.

"We had best get a litter together to take Ranma to Doctor Tofu," Kasumi spoke.

Nabiki nodded and looked over at Shampoo, who nodded in agreement, "Yeah. There should be one in the nurse's office. I'll go…"

"No," Kodachi said, placing a hand on Nabiki's shoulder to keep her from standing. "Stay with Lady Ranma. We will get it." With that both leotard wearing girls turned towards the school building and launched into a run.

As Ranma was cared for, Ryoga moved over to the other form that had crashed to the ground. The white haired woman was in as bad a condition as Ranma, if not worse. He moved cautiously over to her, wary that this was a demon that had pushed Ranma past all reasonable limits and knelt down to check her.

"How is she?"

Ryoga looked back up as saw the pink haired girl Ranma had introduced as his sister and saw her own expression of worry. Silently he turned back to the downed woman and checked her vital signs. After a moment, he nodded to himself and stood again.

"She's still alive, but I doubt she'll be getting up anytime soon," he said simply. "What are we going to do with her?"

"We take with us," he heard Shampoo said over her shoulder. "She prisoner now and only Husband can decide her fate."

Ryoga blanched at the cold tone of the Amazon's voice, but nodded his understanding. He then watched as Alexis knelt beside the downed demoness and saw her expression turn sad.

"Damn you Dizzy," she whispered. Only Ryoga was close enough to hear her as she continued, "Why do you have to be so stubborn? I finally get one sister back that you have been going on about all my life and you're too wrapped up in Father's plans to see how happy I was. Then he sends you to get petty revenge on something that happened half an age ago, and there you go like a happy little pawn. I wanted you to be happy she was back. She was your sister and your best friend. Why?"

Ryoga thought for a moment, then softly answered, "I may not know everything that's going on here, but I do know that Ranma felt the same as you. Ranma loves his Art, but hates these battles that no one wins. Every time I've seen him fight it's been to protect the ones he cares for, or to defend something he believes in. I think tonight was about his belief in you, and maybe your sister. He believes that you both deserve a chance to be free, and he's going to put everything on the line to see it through." He paused for a moment, and then added, "Just like he believes that I needed to fix my own problems."

"Sound's like you have a lot of respect for my big sister," Alexis said back.

Ryoga winced, "Don't push it." With that he stood, leaving the two sisters and turning to look out over the damaged yard. He stepped over to where Ranma lay, and had to avert his eyes as Shampoo was in a rather intense lip lock with the redhead.

He found himself looking into Akane's eyes, and found his own feelings towards the sight reflected in her eyes.

"Um," he managed, "what is she doing?"

Akane snorted, "Trying to revive Ranma."

"With CPR?"

"No," Akane sighed, "by giving the little…her some of their energy. Nabiki and Shampoo said they were going to take turns until Ranma wakes up."

Ryoga looked puzzled, "so…um…why are they kissing her?"

Akane blinked and muttered to herself, "Was I as bad as this?" Then in a louder voice continued, "You remember that Ranma's demon form feeds off of sex, right?" Ryoga turned bright red, and blinked hard as what Akane said impacted his mind. After a long pause, Akane found herself quoting her therapist from her first session, "Oh boy."

Later, Ranma found herself drifting upward out of the dark, her senses slowly returning. As she came too, she found slowly that her body was not responding as fast as it should, and that there was numbness in several places.

Opening her eyes she felt…

_Oh shit,_ Ranma thought, _that was a mistake…_

"Easy, lover girl," said a soothing voice, and a damp cloth was placed on her forehead as the redhead moaned in discomfort.

She asked with a dry voice, "What happened?"

"You won, you knucklehead. But you almost killed yourself again. Stop doing that, OK."

"I'll try," Ranma promised. She didn't what to feel like this again anyway.

"She's awake, Doc."

Ranma tried opening her eyes again, and was able to focus on Nabiki's face above her as Doctor Tofu came into view and seemed to be checking something on her right side.

"How do you feel, Ranma?" the Doctor asked calmly.

Ranma winced, "Like I just pissed off the entire cast of Dragonball. How bad is it?"

Tofu grinned, "About as bad as it feels. I've given you something for the pain, but you're in bad shape right now. If it were anyone else but you I'd have sent them to the hospital." At Ranma's wince Tofu continued, "You're right arm is broken, but I've already set it and put it into a cast. One rib was cracked, and I had to deal with a number of bruises and burns. It was a lot worse when you were brought in however."

At Ranma's curious glance, Nabiki spoke, "Shampoo and I have been force feeding you since after the fight. She's sleeping right now, resting after her last go, and I was about to start when you woke up."

"Thanks," Ranma whispered quietly. "How long have I been out?"

Tofu and Nabiki shared a glance, and the Doctor finally spoke up, "About a day."

Ranma nodded, and then asked, "Alexis and Despair?"

Nabiki tilted her head to one side, indicating the bed next to Ranma. Turning her head slowly to avoid any more pain, Ranma took in the form of the elder demoness lying on the bed. Over her stood Alexis with a guarded look on her face as she stood vigil over her sister.

"Is she out too?"

"No," came Despair's voice, "but I awoke to find myself a prisoner. I've had little to say since then."

Alexis gave a heavy sigh, "There's just no talking to some people."

Nabiki gave a small laugh at that, but saw the look of sadness ghost across Ranma's face.

"Are you sure," she started to ask Ranma. But with out even using her powers, she could tell what was on the redhead's mind. Turning, she began pushing the doctor out of the room. "Come on. Let's let the family get reacquainted, shall we?"

Tofu attempted to protest, "Ranma's in no condition to…"

"Don't worry, doc," Ranma smiled. "I promise, no roughhousing in the invalid ward."

Nabiki continued guiding the doctor out, and found her job suddenly easier when he turned around and saw Kasumi waiting down the hall.

"My K K Kasumi, what a surprise it is to see you here today! Have you met Betty, my assistant?!"

Nabiki let out a pained sigh as she closed the door on her way out. The crashing noise that followed could only be described as the sound of a skeleton going through a window in a merry dance into town.

Ranma chuckled lightly for a moment, then collected herself and looked over at Despair. In the eyes of the older demoness she saw many things, not the least of which was confusion, not at the antics of the doctor, but at her current situation. The redhead also noted a mote of worry, and could not discern the cause.

"So," Ranma began, "how have you been, Dizzy?"

Alexis snorted as Despair's expression darkened further for a moment and the demoness looked like she was about to snap off her usual rebuff about her name. But then the fire went out of her eyes and a resigned sigh escaped her lips.

There was silence for a moment, and Ranma started again, "And the girls think I'm stubborn. All right, you sit over there and mope, I'll do the talking." Despair still had nothing to add to the conversation. Ranma continued, "A lot of things change a person. Death, life, curses, especially of the Jusenkyo variety, and even a shocking revelation or two. Do you want to know what changed Amnara from devout follower of the Guild into a rebel that ran? Nothing."

Ranma looked over again, and saw that she had the white haired woman's attention, as well as Alexis', "From what little I've been able to put together from her life, she never liked the way things were. She didn't give a crap about all the doom and gloom like your old man, and she didn't like using people just for the sake of using them. Sure, she wanted more, but not more power and control. She loved just being herself. And you know it."

Despair sat in silence, and Alexis spoke instead, "Ever since I was little, you told me how skilled our sister was, not only as a fighter, but at whatever she put her mind to. A few times you even admitted you were jealous of her knack for picking up skills. You always spoke of her fondly. You even once, when you were very drunk, admitted you missed her."

Still Despair said nothing, but Ranma saw her eyes soften a little at that and pressed on, "You always put barriers up to keep emotions like this out, but it always wound up hurting you. In my dreams I see times when you let the walls down and you'd smile. It was rare, but it made you seem so alive. Amnara wanted you to smile more often, I feel it."

"But you are not Amnara," Despair whispered.

"No," Ranma answered, "but it really doesn't matter to me. I got her form, her power, and a little piece of her soul. And the only reason that happened is because me and her are so alike. I may not have been as…um, active as she was. But I spent the last ten years wandering around, learning all I could about Martial Arts. My old man was controlling, and tried to kill me for defying him. And I have a strong will, just like your sister did."

Ranma saw that Despair was not looking directly at her and took a deep breath, "I can also feel the connection between the three of us. I can feel Alexis bursting at the seams from standing still too long. I'm guessing she's always been a tornado?"

"In and out of the sack," the pink haired girl smiled.

Ranma winced and looked back at the oldest sister, "And I can feel your pain. Not just from my Soul Buster, but deeper. And older. Please, tell us."

For a long time, there was silence. But Despair finally spoke, oh so softly, "I guess it does not matter now, I'll be dead soon enough."

"Stop!" At Ranma's shout Despair's eye widened and she stared at the redhead, "I swear to you, on my oath as a Martial Artist, that the Guild will not kill you. If I have to beat that into you, again, I will. There's been enough death and doom. Now you get the chance to live."

Despair looked up, "How can you be so confident? Surly the old gnome, Happosai, has told you what the Guild is capable of. Are you not afraid of them?"

"Old gnome," Ranma mused, "I like it. I'll call him that next time I see him." She then turned serious, "Yeah, I know that the Guild could come for blood, and if your father is anything like I remember him then he will, eventually. But I don't care. For ten years I've only had Genma Saotome as family, and if my transformation lost him for me, I think getting Alexis and you is more then a fair trade. So I consider myself lucky, and that kind of luck extends to you as well. Alexis gets a friend, and you…well if you want, I may not be Amnara, but I am Ranma. I'd be glad to call you family."

"But…"

"No buts," Ranma countered and sat up with a wince, "the Guild can come after me if they want. I won't let them dictate my future, or yours. Humans have changed since she left, and now we have a fighting chance. Look at what my friends did to your soldiers. Eventually, we will win."

Alexis smirked and took Despair's hand, "May as well give up, Sis. Ranma never gives up. Trust me, it's best to just go along for the ride and enjoy it. Besides, her friends are more fun as allies then enemies. And Kasumi's cooking will make you so cream your panties."

"Not the words I would use," Ranma grunted.

There was a long pause. Despair looked deep into the blue eyes of the girl in the bed across from her, and found her heart aching as the memory of Amnara's eyes almost seemed to layer itself over her sight. She looked up into Alexis' face, and remembered a time, years ago when she held the young demoness in her arms and whispered stories about the redhead hellion that had made her life so good.

_Sisters,_ she pondered to herself, _do I even have the right?_

Long ago she thought it wouldn't matter to her. After Amnara left she had closed herself off, told herself that the only things that did matter were her duty. She let herself be swept away by the plotting and scheming of the Guild, and had convinced herself that it made her happy. But when Alexis came along, she had been forcibly reminded of what it was like to have a friend and sister close to her.

The young demoness had shown the energy and love of life that Amnara had once had, and when Happosai had begun his time with the Guild it had been almost impossible to restrain her.

But Despair had forced the walls to stay up. Only in the most guarded moments did she let her feelings show. But that was the crack in the wall.

When she had heard about Amnara's return she found herself longing and dreading it at the same time. Losing the redhead had torn part of her away, and she had tried to stop the pain with the idea that Amanra was the one that had walked away. But the lie had only covered the fact that she had loved her sister.

But Amnara was gone. In her place was this Ranma, a stubborn, hot headed redhead that defied the odds and stood up for her beliefs.

Was she any different then Amnara had been?

She looked back at Ranma, and saw the girl smile. A wide, welcoming smile that held the promise of companionship and warmth. It was something she had not experienced in five hundreds years.

Amnara had smiled at her that way.

Deep within her, the walls finally began to crack, and tears started in her eyes as she finally mourned the loss of her sister, and rejoiced at the finding of a new one.

To be continued.


	33. Epilog

Author's Note: The cast of Ranma ½ are the work of Rumiko Takahashi, and were distributed by Kitty and Viz. I am not Takahashi sensei and claim no IP rights. Personally I'm glad because the crew of OHWP thinks she's twisted. As always, a warning for naughty bits ahead, sex, violence and the like. No minors or easily offended people allowed.

P.S.: Janice is still the driving force behind this, but now I write for the fans of the story as well.

Ranma had tried, really tried. But in the end there was nothing he could have done.

He had totally fallen asleep in class, and the eraser to the head and bucket duty were the just rewards for his failure.

It wasn't as it he didn't have a reason to be tired. After all, the last few days had been full with the process of moving himself, Nabiki and Shampoo into their new apartment above the Cat Café. They had also been helping Alexis and Despair settle into a small place a few blocks away, and they were still looking over their shoulder for an attack from the Guild.

To make matters worse, Happosai had decided to celebrate the victory over the Guild demons by going to a panty swiping rampage across Nerima the likes of which had never been seen before. Ranma, with the help of Akane and Ryoga, had spent two whole days chasing him down. Alexis had also helped, Happosai that is, by airlifting him from one point in the town to another and then laughing her leather clad butt off at the antics that ensued.

The only good thing to come out of it was when Akane, in a fit of Gundam inspired lunacy, had finally figured a way to channel her ki properly into an attack. The blast had stopped Happosai and made a crater in the local park that all parties denied having anything to do with.

Ranma and Ryoga could only back away slowly from Akane when she happily celebrated her new attack. They were both in awe, and scared to death of it.

'Erupting God Mallet' seemed to give any male that reaction.

One Half a Wing and a Prayer

By Seth

Chapter 33

Epilouge, Now With Less Log and More Epi

Hubris, it was a terrible thing. Despair knew that and had been shown in a rather dramatic fashion that it was a demon's downfall. Now she sat in a lounge chair of her new apartment and contemplated her own hubris.

She looked over at Alexis, who was napping on the sofa after a long night out on the town. The pink haired girl had taken a liking to some of the night clubs in other areas of Tokyo and had been coming back early in the morning since they had settled in. It wasn't unusual for a succubus to be out at all hours, but Despair was near panic at the idea that the Guild would appear at any time and cut them down.

Finally, she stood and picked up the cordless phone on the living room table and went into her bedroom. Her own meal from last night had already left, his phone number still on the nightstand. But the number she dialed was from memory.

"Daughter," spoke a deep, neutral voice as the line connected. "I have not heard from you for several days now."

Despair took a deep breath, "Yes father. I am sorry, but things have gotten complicated."

A grunt was heard, and he continued, "And what of my lost daughter?"

"She s dead," Despair said. "The Amazon knew nothing about what actually happened to the one called Ranma. Things have come undone."

"In what way?"

Despair paused, and then continued, "Alexis and I are staying in the area for the time. Ranma has proven to be formidable, and Happosai is training her in his art. If I am to do what is best, I need time to evaluate where she stands."

"And what of your defeat at this upstart's hands," the Guildmaster stated coldly.

Despair winced. She had figured that the survivors of the Furinkan battle would report back, but she had hoped that she would have more time. Now she had to think fast to keep her father's suspicions at bay.

"She has gathered considerable forces to her," the demoness said, holding onto her calm tone. "If we were to take direct action against them we would no doubt reveal ourselves to the humans. Such a drastic action is disproportional to one runaway in this dangerous time."

There was silence on the other end of the line for a time. Then the Guildmaster spoke again, "And what of Alexis? It was reported to me that she fought alongside this Ranma."

"She is back under my care, my lord. As I had instructed her, she scouted out Ranma, learning as much as she could. Now we need time to plan and learn from mistakes made."

Another long pause tested Despair's composure. She was near panic now, but her father resumed speaking again.

"Very well, I will grant you time. However, do not test me, I want this resolved soon. I do not see how a group of humans would be trouble to you, simply consume them and be done with it. Report to me when this Ranma is under your control."

"Yes, Father," said Despair, but the line was already dead.

"Running back after less then a week? Real brave there, Dizzy."

Despair jumped, yelping as she charged up a fireball, only to see Alexis leaning against the frame of her open door. Sighing, she canceled her attack and sat heavily on her bed, her hands going to her forehead.

"It isn't like that at all," she said with a great deal of strain. "As hot headed as Ranma seems, she'd take on anything the Guild sent after us. She is not ready for that. Fighting you, fine. Fighting me, yes it's a challenge. How long do you really think she would last against Fa…him? He would snuff her out in a heartbeat."

Alexis stepped in and sat next to her sister on the bed, "I guess. But sooner or later, he's gonna come looking. For her and us. What happens then?"

"I don't know," Despair said softly. She looked down for a time, but Alexis didn't let her stew for long. The pink haired demoness pulled her elder sister's face up and kissed her.

The kiss was not one of consumption, or even seeking any energy. It was one she had learned from Ranma. A simple act of kindness and support that expressed warmth and sisterhood. When it was over, the two demons sat back, Alexis with a goofy smile on her face and Despair calmed somewhat.

"You know what," Alexis suddenly stated, "you really need to get out. Do something. I think it's time I show you a trick Ranma taught me the other day."

"And what would that be?"

Alexis smirked, "Scamming free ice cream."

The two sisters then began a quest that would leave many a counter worker in the area a quivering mass of hormonal sludge.

Across town, Kasumi watched as her student practiced with the rest of her team. It was interesting; she had to admit, seeing her work turn out like this. In the time Kodachi had been under her wing, the girl had gone from an attitude of superiority to one of humility. The Kuno girl still knew her abilities were far beyond her teammates, but now she shared her knowledge with the other green leotard wearing girls.

Kasumi relaxed in the gym bleachers as Kodachi took one girl aside to explain an advanced technique, and when the girl was unable to duplicate the complex flip; her captain took her in hand once more and guided her through it step by step.

Kasumi smiled as she saw the younger girl blush lightly at the close contact, but also look with wide eyed admiration at the more skilled girl.

"Much better," Kasumi said to herself. In only a few months the team had gone from fearing their tyrannical Mistress to almost worshiping the ground she walked on as Kodachi used a gentle touch to guide her team to higher levels then they had ever been.

The girls did wonder who Kasumi was, and why Kodachi seemed so deferential to her. But any questions were easily sidestepped by saying that the Tendo was a coach who had been working on improving Kodachi's form. It was the truth, or enough of it as Kasumi was willing to divulge.

As the session finished, Kodachi gave all her teammates encouragements and promised to improve along with them, and the girls returned the sentiments in kind. A few of the senior girls still bowed their heads to their former mistress, but the smiles on their faces were wide and without any fear.

The team went into the locker room, and Kodachi walked over to sit with Kasumi, a happy look on her face as she rested against the older girl.

"It's so different," she said to Kasumi. "I feel like…I honestly don't know. The girls are improving faster, and I feel…lighter. Is this what you spoke of when you took me in?"

Kasumi laughed lightly, "Yes, it's something I found long ago. A light heart can do so much more, and feel so much better then one burdened by shadow. Of everything I've taught you, this is the most important. You can see it when I help my family, or when Ranma is fighting for something he believes in. And now you can see it in your own reflection."

They sat in silence for a long moment, Kodachi cooling down and Kasumi simply taking the time to relax. It had been hectic for her for many years in the Tendo home, and now that she had fewer responsibilities at home she was seriously considering what to do next in her life.

"I think it's time," she said softly.

Kodachi looked at the older girl and asked, "Time for what?"

"My life seems to move in stages of loss and gain," Kasumi said. "When my mother died, I lost her and my simple life as a schoolgirl, but I gained wisdom and patience I would not have had otherwise. When you came along I lost my comfortable place forgetting the past, but in place of pain I found warm friendship. Now I think it's time for me to lose my fear."

Startled, Kodachi looked at her mistress and friend and asked, "What are you afraid of?"

"The future, and now I think I'm ready to face it. Tomorrow I'm going to see if I can apply for a few entrance exams and get back on with my life."

Kodachi looked down, a shadow of dread entering her heart. In that simple statement she saw Kasumi leaving her, and she would be once more all alone.

"And I'd like you to be a part of it."

The black haired girl's eyes shot back up and locked onto Kasumi's. The older gymnast's eyes sparkled with mirth at her apprentice's startled expression, and a smile formed on her lips. Kodachi instantly had her arms around Kasumi and a large hug and buried her face in the taller girl's shoulder, whispering into her neck.

"I love you…"

At the Tendo compound, Akane held a loose stance trying to focus her mind. It was easier for her now, but she still felt the shadows of anger just at the edge of her awareness.

Beginning her kata, she let the most basic forms of the Tendo school flow from her heart to her hands and feet. Earlier she had spoken with her father and Happosai…Master Happosai…and they had agreed that the next step in her training would not be to learn advanced techniques, but to relearn the basics.

For too long her training had been relegated to schoolyard brawls and it was showing in her form. Now that her father was working his way past the veil of loss he had decided that if Akane was going to eventually be a true master of the Art then she would need to not only know, but understand the meaning behind it.

A few months ago she would have been outraged by this claim, but after spending time watching Ranma, Shampoo and Nabiki train with each other she could plainly see how degraded her style had become.

Akane wanted to see the Art as Ranma saw it, with the eyes of someone who truly loved what they did.

She heard a throat clear behind her and paused her kata to look at who had intruded on her practice, and had to fight down the anger as Ryoga stood in the doorway, his eyes downcast.

"What do you want, Hibiki," she asked coldly.

Ryoga attempted to speak, but no words came out. Akane grunted and resumed her kata, forcing herself not to give into the anger. It was difficult, but she managed it and worked her way past the pain that Ryoga had caused her.

She wound down her exercise and Ryoga finally managed to speak, "I'm…I'm not going to ask you to forgive me. I know I don't deserve it. I just want to let you know that I do…care about you. Anything I can do to make amends I will do."

Akane faced away from him for a long time, breathing heavily from both her physical and mental exertion.

At last she spoke, "And if I asked you to die?"

"I would."

She turned to face him, tempted for a moment to tell him just that. But instead she said, "All right. I'll give you the opportunity to make it up to me.

"How?"

"Train me," Akane said simply. "Part of Anything Goes is learning as much of the Art as I can. And if you can train me to be as strong as you, then I may even forgive you. But don't count on it."

"I won't", Ryoga said as he stepped into the dojo and took up a stance next to Akane.

Inside the house, Nabiki closed the lid on her last suitcase and looked around her now empty room. For so long it had been her space, and then their space, that she was not really surprised that she found she was a little sad to be leaving.

She was looking forward to being in her own apartment, especially after the month in the Amazon village where she, Shampoo and Ranma shared Shampoo's hut. Already they had divided the chores so that no one of them would be overworked, and with Nabiki and Shampoo getting jobs at the Cat Café and Ranma's continued employment at Renee's they would have no trouble with finances.

She walked over to her dresser where the last of her possessions sat, a simple wood frame with a small photo in it. She and her sisters were lined up in a row, each of them much younger then they were now, and behind them stood her parents. Her fingers traced the outline of her mother's face and she softly whispered to the picture.

"So, what do you think Mom? Would you be proud? I hope so, even if I'm in an...untraditional relationship. You'd like Shampoo. You'd think she was cute and charming, and she is. As for Ranma, he's a survivor and a protector. You said I'd need someone like that to keep up with me anyway."

She turned and placed the photo in her purse and picked it up with her suitcase. Turning, she saw Ranma standing in the door, watching her with a sad smile of his own.

He asked, "Can I see her?"

Nabiki pulled out the picture again and Ranma looked at the brown haired woman, very similar in looks to her daughters. After a moment he handed it back with a sigh, "I wish I could remember what my mother looked like. Cologne is the closest thing I can remember to a mother, and it's good. But sometimes I wish…"

As he trailed off Nabiki nodded, "I know what you mean. Maybe, once we settle in, we could look for her. See if she's still around?"

Ranma considered this for a moment, "I don't know. She let Genma drag me away for ten years, and he never spoke about her."

"So," Nabiki stated, "Genma doesn't have an honest bone in his body. I'd bet he took you from your mother in the dead of night. God knows, you may not even be his son."

Ranma snorted, "That would be a load off my mind, but somehow I doubt it." He collected himself and took Nabiki's suitcase, "I'll handle that. Besides, Shampoo was kind enough to remind me that I've once more been goofing off as a husband and need to, and I quote, 'take sister wife for good food, good time and good fuck, in that order'. So I thought I'd ask you out."

Nabiki laughed at Ranma's mimicry of Shampoo's whimsical, and blunt, manner of speech. Walking over, she slid her free arm around Ranma's and gave him a quick kiss.

"I'd be glad to," she told him. "What did you have in mind?"

Ranma shrugged, "I didn't want to just copy what I did with Shampoo, but I'm not too good at this kind of thing."

Nabiki grinned and began dragging him out the door, "I've got just the thing." Soon they had drooped off Nabiki's things at the new apartment, and the Tendo girl had spent a moment whispering in the ear of Shampoo as Ranma sat waiting in the small living room.

He was shocked out of his revere by Nabiki dumping a glass of cold water on him, shrinking him and fading his black hair to red. Once changed into a girl, Ranma blinked up at Nabiki, who only smiled and hauled the girl up, pushing her towards their bedroom.

"Go get changed, lover girl," Nabiki told her, "then we'll go have a good time."

Ranma attempted to protest, but Shampoo's arm snaked out of the bedroom and the smaller girl was dragged in as Nabiki softly chuckled in the hallway. Soon after, Ranma was deposited in front of her, now in a blue sundress and a confused look on her face.

The redhead asked, "I thought you wanted a date? Why change me?"

Taking the girl by the hand and waving goodbye to Shampoo, Nabiki simply said, "Because I love all of you. And if I remember correctly you were the one to announce that I was your fiancé in that form."

Ranma blinked, thinking back, "The ice skating match? That was like, two months ago. Why bring that up now?"

The taller girl kissed Ranma on the forehead, "Because you were so damn cute when you said it." Nabiki smiled and continued pulling Ranma along as the redhead stared at her in wonder.

Soon the two of them were downtown in the shopping district, and Nabiki led Ranma around. Soon the young demoness realized what Nabiki was doing as the stores they looked into were not only suited to the Tendo girl, but to Ranma as well.

In one bookstore they debated the value of the classic Dragonball, Ranma's favorite, over Naruto, which Nabiki preferred. In a game parlor they challenged an old House of the Dead machine. Ice cream was of course consumed in brain freezing quantities, and all the while Nabiki and Ranma wore smiles on their faces, and had laughter ready at a moment's notice. As the afternoon wore into evening, the two girls wound up eating at a small restaurant that offered an unusual western dish called a taco.

Ranma looked up at Nabiki as they walked along the street. It was past eight in the evening, and the two girls had one more stop planned before the night was over. Pushing the door to the final shop open, Ranma waved at Yuki as her co-worker welcomed her to Renee's.

"What's up Ranma, Nabiki? Here to bother those of us cursed to work, or are you going to actually buy something?"

Ranma grinned at her friend's joking chide, and Nabiki managed to laugh a little at the two of them.

"Actually here to shop, Yuki," Ranma said. "I need to replace the leathers I got, and the employee discount is gonna help with that."

Yuki looked surprised, "What happened to the last set?"

"Um…" Ranma drew a blank as to what to say. She couldn't tell the older girl the truth, that they had been destroyed in a demonic firefight that had almost killed her. It was only Nabiki's quick thinking that saved her.

"I bite," the brown haired girl said with a grin.

Yuki blinked, and Ranma turned as red as her hair as what Nabiki said registered. Ranma gave an embarrassed laugh and pushed Nabiki towards the back of the store leaving Yuki to continue blinking at the couple.

Once in the leather section, Ranma released Nabiki and gave a long sigh, "Why did you tell her something like that? I thought I was going to die out there."

"Sorry, sorry," Nabiki laughed, "I couldn't help it. You wanted to tell her the truth?"

"No," Ranma moaned, "I just wish you had picked a less…provocative cover story. Yuki is never going to let me hear the end of this when I work with her next. Now I'll have to explain how I got you worked up enough to chew through leather."

That stopped Ranma for a moment, and had to blush again at the image that came into her mind. Nabiki instantly picked up on the image through their link and felt her nipples harden and mound moisten at the idea of being driven that deeply into pleasure.

Ranma shook herself out of the trance like state and looked at the racks around her. Snapping her fingers in front of Nabiki's lust filled eyes to direct her attention back to the here and now.

"Now then," Ranma said, forcing down a catch in her voice as Nabiki's desire filled her demonic senses. "If I'm going to pick out something new, we need to get to it." Moving quickly through the racks, knowing from setting up the displays in the first place where everything was, Ranma eyed a number of selections carefully. She had considered a few of them before, and now was the opportunity to pick one out that she knew would get the attention of her lovers, and anyone she would fight in it.

"Hay, Nabiki," she said, "Can you go grab a new set of boots and gloves for me? I'll be in the dressing room."

Nabiki easily replied, "Sure." But when she turned, she only saw a flash of a red pigtail as Ranma dashed into the close by stall area. Smirking at her sometimes girlfriend's impulsive nature, Nabiki selected a pair of black elbow length gloves and a new pair of knee high, high heel boots to replace the ones Ranma had burned through.

Stepping up to the stall where she sensed Ranma changing, she attempted to open the door, only to find it locked.

"What gives," she asked through the door.

Ranma answered in a sing song voice, "You have to wait for the surprise." She did hold one bare arm up over the door and beckoned, and Nabiki sighed with a smile on her face as she handed the accessories over. She then took a seat across from the door and waited.

It had been three months, and here she was in the same chair, in the same store, and Ranma had black leather in a changing room again. She thought she would be ready for whatever stepped through the stall door.

Boy was she wrong.

The light tap of heels let Nabiki know that Ranma had finished changing. She also heard Yuki coming into the changing area, most likely to see the newest look of her friend and co-worker. Nabiki had to smile at that since it was Yuki who was there for, and had been instrumental in, the assembly of Ranma's first succubus fighting outfit.

The door opened, and Nabiki shivered.

"So," Ranma asked; her voice low and husky, "What do you think?"

The outfit consisted of the boots, gloves, and a silver ring that circled her navel with three black leather straps coming off of it. One strap covered each of her breasts, widening enough to provide a modicum of support, and then thinning out again and going behind her neck to meet up. The third went down between her legs, and as the redhead turned in place Nabiki saw that it thinned as well and split into a pair of strings that went over Ranma's curved hips and tied off at the ring in the front.

"Maybe I'll give gay another shot," Yuki said in a hoarse whisper.

"Glad I'm already bi," Nabiki confirmed as she felt a light spasm pass down her spine, ending in her suddenly very hot loins.

Ranma handed a set of tags over to Yuki and told her, "Ring this up, and I'll be right out."

"Sure…Sure," the flustered clerk answered, and then wandered off to the register.

As soon as Yuki was out of sight, Nabiki was on her feet, lips locked onto Ranma as she began to feel up the demon girl. The redhead moaned into the kiss as she felt Nabiki's hands squeeze her breasts, and she brought one of her own, leather clad hands up and slid it beneath her lover's blouse. The Tendo girl shivered as the leather bound appendage glided up her stomach and rested between her own breasts, and gasped when a sudden heat began to emanate from the hand, and her bonding mark that signified she was Ranma's property.

Suddenly, Ranma ended the kiss, a teasing smile on her face as she gently pushed Nabiki away. Nabiki pouted, and Ranma had to laugh.

"Don't worry, love," Ranma told her. The redhead's voice was low and sensual as she cupped Nabiki's face. "I know just how to scratch that itch. And I'm oh so very hungry."

With that she ducked back into the changing room and left Nabiki swooning back into the chair, her face and loins hot with anticipation. In moments Ranma had come back out, once more in her casual sundress holding boots and gloves under one arm. Nabiki blinked when she realized that Ranma was still wearing the main portion of her new outfit, but the redhead silenced her forthcoming inquiry with a finger to the lips and a mischievous smile.

At the register, Yuki checked them out, and Nabiki saw that the girl was still a little flushed from Ranma's new ensemble. In the back of her mind she could almost feel the older girl shifting her legs behind the counter, trying to fight back a sudden itch that came from between her legs. Through her link she could also sense Ranma feeling the heat coming off Yuki. Between what her extra senses picked up, and her own lust towards the redhead demoness next to her, Nabiki found herself breaking into a warm sweat in anticipation of what she believed was soon to come.

As they left the store, Nabiki noticed Ranma sigh deeply and asked, "Problem, lover girl?"

"No," answered the slightly shorter girl, "It's just that Yuki is a good friend, and I get a little uncomfortable when she looks at me like that, or Kasumi, Kodachi, or anyone else for that matter. They look at me, and I feel their heat, and it makes me want to…you know…"

Ranma trailed off, and Nabiki knew that even after all that Ranma had been through; she was still worried about her nature. In addition to that, Nabiki sensed that Ranma didn't want to hurt her as well.

She asked, "Is it the sex, or do you feel like you're betraying Shampoo and I when you feel like that?"

Ranma winced, "A little." There was a pause, and the redhead continued, "I know you two have talked about this, and talked to me about it. I know that you both have accepted what I am, and that I get a little…peckish every now and then. But I still…"

"Do you plan on leaving us," Nabiki interrupted to ask, "or dump us for some other girl, or girls?"

"No! Of course not," Ranma shouted. "I love you."

"Then no matter what happens, I'll always love you," Nabiki said calmly.

Ranma's actions were less calm as she jumped up, wrapping her arms around Nabiki and giving her a desperate kiss. Nabiki felt Ranma's hug tighten, and the demoness shake lightly as Ranma let her emotions pour out through their contact. Even if they were drawing the attention of the few remaining shoppers out at this hour, Nabiki didn't care as she continued to hold a shivering Ranma in her loving embrace.

Finally, Ranma collected herself and let go save for holding Nabiki's hands. She took a deep breath and managed to get herself under control, giving the Tendo girl a wide, thankful smile.

The smile began to turn impish, and the redhead once more began to move, this time pulling Nabiki along towards Furinkan High. They stealthily entered the campus, hopping the fence easily, and made their way to the side of the building. Nabiki was about to ask Ranma what she was up to, but the succubus silenced her again and pulled her in close.

The rush of air that accompanied the emergence of Ranma's wings was Nabiki's only warning as they suddenly took flight and after only a few seconds touched down on the roof of the three story building.

Nabiki shot a sly smile at Ranma and asked, "What do you have in mind you little minx?"

Ranma said nothing and shrugged her shoulders, letting her sundress pool to the rooftop as she pulled her gloves and boots out of her shopping bag.

"I'm taking you flying again," was all Ranma whispered as her eyes faded to the deeper blue that showed she was allowing more of her demon side to come forth. With that, Nabiki felt the demoness' powers wash over her and she found herself quickly disrobing, clothes neatly folded and telekinetically deposited in Ranma's empty shopping bag. She allowed herself to be drawn into the redhead's arms, and the two of them shared a deep kiss, exploring each other's mouths.

Nabiki felt Ranma's legs tense, ready for take off, and she allowed Ranma to carry her aloft on strong wings as they flew out over the city.

Gaining altitude quickly, Ranma took them to the point in the sky where she had once shown Nabiki the wonder of the night. The lights above and below once more cast the illusion of a sea of stars. But the two girls were not of a mind to take in the sight. Instead they only had eyes for each other as Nabiki fell into Ranma's glowing blue orbs, and Ranma felt herself warm as Nabiki's brown eyes pierced into her soul.

As they twisted in the night sky, their lips came together once more and Nabiki opened her soul to her bonded lover. The kiss seemed not to be enough as Nabiki felt Ranma's leather covered hands began to run up and down her sides.

It took her a moment, but she suddenly realized that Ranma wasn't holding her and she was still airborne. Breaking the kiss, Nabiki looked at her lover and saw the demoness' wide smile.

"I'm reinforcing your power," Ranma answered her unasked question. "I'm sending a trickle of power through our bond and anchoring your telekinesis on me."

"I can fly," Nabiki said softly, joy bubbling up in her voice. "You help me, but…Ever since you took me up the first time I've wanted to do this." She let herself drift away from Ranma for a moment, dancing in mid air. Swooping back in she gave Ranma a glomp that would make Shampoo stand up and applaud. "Thank you."

Ranma smiled and kissed her again and tasted her excitement from flying, and her arousal. Unable to restrain herself, Ranma's hand slid across Nabiki's soft skin, caressing her breasts with the expert touch of a sex demon. When her lover moaned into the kiss, Ranma took this as a sign that Nabiki was interested in what Ranma had in mind. With their limbs intertwined, the two drifted in the night, barely holding back primal instinct that demanded attention.

There was no build up; that had been done all throughout the evening. There were only a few tender strokes; they didn't need them as their bodies screamed for more. It was a carnal dance through the sky as sweat and essence was flung into the darkness.

As they passed into the clouds they panted in the damp air, bodies moving in age old rhythms that demanded greater and greater release.

They moaned and cried out in pleasure, screaming each other's names into the night.

The climax was powerful, and the two teens shot up further into the night sky as they spasmodically twisted against each other, bodies craving every millimeter of contact. The heat they were both throwing off made them glow in the night sky, and even if they were only aware of it in the back of their minds, the eruption of their bonding sprayed out below them as they spun in the sky.

But they did not lessen their pace as Ranma and Nabiki rode out the wave and started climbing towards the next plateau.

Nabiki could only gasp as Ranma's frenzy blasted into her already blazing nerves. Pleasure on pleasure built, and she felt herself once more burst open, her love of Ranma physically manifesting as a surge of juice from her sex.

This triggered another cry from the redhead as she fed off Nabiki's pleasure. The succubus' body sang as Ranma suddenly felt a well of something burn inside her.

And for a brief moment there was perfect silence and stillness.

The stillness was broken by two synchronized cries of release as Ranma and Nabiki held on to each other tightly. The shudders of climactic bliss tore across their bodies as they breathed heavily, gasping for air as their senses lit on fire.

In the city below, Shampoo held on tightly to the sheets of the bed she now shared with her lovers as her bond mark burned brightly in the darkened apartment. The power flooding through her link with Ranma and Nabiki drove her over the edge at the same time as the demoness and psychic. Her hip thrust into the air as wave on wave of pleasure ran through her, and as she came down from her own lust induced high she lightly touched herself, savoring the sensations.

A few blocks away, Alexis and Despair shuddered as they felt the backlash of Ranma's coupling. The sisters smiled lightly at each other as they felt the warmth of a nearby succubus in the thralls of heat.

In the air, Ranma and Nabiki cold only desperately hold on to each other as the tsunami of pleasure slowly began to fade. As they regained their breath they leaned into each other as Ranma slowly let them descend, gliding back to the school roof where the night's lovemaking had begun.

As they touched down their wobbly legs failed to support them and the two girls collapsed to their knees.

Panting heavily as she wiped sweat from her brow, Nabiki kissed Ranma's neck and asked, "Had a little repressed need there, lover girl?"

Ranma let out a chuckle, then a laugh. She laughed long and hard at the sensation of happiness that filled her life now. She had friends, lovers, and family. Less then half a year ago she had thought that she would have none of these things and could only look forward to a lifetime of abuse in the name of training. Now her life was her own, and with it came joy like none the redhead had felt before.

And so she held on to Nabiki, laughing with all her heart.

A simple joy called life.

The End

Endnote: That's twice I've written this story, and just like the unedited version over on MM this one has received a lot of good feedback and developed something of a large fanbase. Everyone wants me to do more, and so I shall. The next arc of One Half a Wing and a Prayer will bring our favorite redhead hellion into contact with a certain famous group of sailor suited defenders of love and justice. It won't be a fuku-fic, but it will be trouble. We will also see the arrival of Ukyo as well as the return of villains like Genma and Enema. For two years now I've been trying the best I can to entertain, and I'm not going to leave you hanging long…TOO long anyway. See you next time in One Half a Wing and a Prayer: Fly Me to the Moon!

Brought to you by the letter of intent and the number of the beast.


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